Flight of Stars and Fire
by thespace-dragon
Summary: The custom of Fiore is to bestow everyone a dragon when they come of age. It is seen as a passage into adulthood. Lucy was no different, but with her father attempting to control her now more than ever, she finds herself living on her own as travels about Earthland, heading to Pergrande as her final destination. A Fairy Tail Dragon Rider AU.
1. Part 1: The Journey Begins

**Hey, everyone! I'm back at it again with posting something new instead of updating my other fics. Terribly sorry about that, I have no excuses other than this idea has been eating away at me for the whole time I have been inactive. I sincerely apologize to those that have been waiting oh so (im)patiently for me to get my toosh in gear with them. I promise they will not be abandoned, I just don't know when.**

 **Anyways, on with this new and great AU that I have the pleasure of calling my own! Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

She couldn't wait to fly. To have her own dragon and to feel free. She loved her family, but it had been stifling to sit inside the house and not be out exploring the world. She couldn't see her friends and they had all moved on with their lives. Would she ever be able to catch up with them?

But today. Today was the day.

She was going to be free at last.

On everyone's eighteenth birthday, they would receive a dragon. It was a rite of passage, a way of showing that they were now adults in society. Of course, she was the last of her friends to get hers, being the youngest of the group by years, but that means she would be able to fly off and journey around the world, like she as always dreamed about, like she had always read about.

Those adventure novels were her lifeline. They kept her going when she felt tied down. But soon she would no longer rely on them to keep her feet moving, they would become something that would bring her pleasure on the days she decided to rest.

Lucy Heartfilia walked through town, head held high as she made her way to the town center where the rest of her peers were waiting to receive their own dragons. They would each be given an egg, based on their compatibility. They had some way of knowing whether a dragon would hatch for someone or not, something to do with magic if she remembered correctly.

Her father was quite against the idea of a lady of her standing having a dragon, but she had argued profusely that if she didn't have one like everyone else in society that she would never be taken seriously in whatever she did. Days before her birthday, he finally gave in. Little did he know that she was planning on running away as soon as her dragon was big enough to fly with her. She was done playing the pretty heiress to his company that he just wanted to marry off for profit. It wasn't fair to her and it wasn't fair to her late mother's wishes either.

She stopped and waited for dragons, horses, and people to make their way past her. They had no idea who she was today. The Heartfilia heir was dressed as a commoner today, pants and knee-high boots covered her lower half and a loose tunic with a belt completed her outfit.

Finally, the way was clear and she jogged to reach the other side of the street. Everyone was gathering in the town center. If she didn't hurry she was going to be late. It wasn't the fact that there were other people sharing the same birthday, the town of Magnolia decided it would be more efficient to hold the egg giving ceremony at the first of every month for the preceding month. It made the whole process more streamlined overall.

Lucy continued to run through the streets, jumping around people and over obstacles that were in her way, apologizing as she went. Most just laughed and rolled their eyes at the teenager rushing by them, knowing full well what day it was for most.

The next five minutes were a blur and the moment she pushed her way through the crowd to reach the fountain where everyone was, Lucy was able to finally breathe a sigh of relief. The town mayor stood next to an ornate cabinet that contained all the eggs they needed for today. Next to it stood what could be the smallest man Lucy had ever laid eyes on.

Makarov Dreyar.

He handled all the breeding dragons for Magnolia. He and his grandson, Laxus, were in charge of deciding who each egg went to. Makarov would come around and hold each person's hand, and somehow, he was able to read their heart and decide which dragon's egg that would fit them the most. It had to be some sort of magic, there was no other way for all of this to continue to go off without a hitch.

The mayor announced that everyone should arrange themselves in a circle around the fountain, and the Dreyars started their way around. Lucy was bouncing on the balls of her feet, eager to see what the Dreyars were like up close. Despite her status within Magnolia, she never had the chance to interact with them at any social events, not that she made herself any more available than them.

It felt like it took forever for the pair to make their way around to her. She had filled herself with so much anxiety that her hands shook and were clammy. She wiped them off on her trousers before offering one to the small man in front of her.

"Why the jitters, young lady?" Makarov asked as he held her hand in both of his.

"I-uh… I'm just excited is all!" she chirped in response, giving the old man a bright and cheery smile.

She was telling the truth, but the return trip home after the ceremony was making her break out in a cold sweat. Her father had only barely agreed to this, he was sure to reject her dragon once it hatched, no matter how well behaved it was.

"So your family does not agree with you having a dragon? Such a shame to be run out of your own home to be able to have something that you desire so much."

Lucy gaped. "H-How did you-"

"Laxus, grab the silver and gold one, it will be perfect for her."

The small man moved onto the next person in line as Laxus handed her an egg with gruff words about not dropping it before it hatched.

Lucy stood there dumbfounded. How had Makarov, a man she had never truly met, know what her father's opinion on dragons was and how she wanted to run away from his oppressive ideals?

The egg she held in her hands warmed considerably at her touch. Looking down at it, she noticed that it was glowing with a soft gold light, matching the swirls of gold that appeared on the shell. Was this normal? Should the egg be this warm? Does the glow mean that it chose her? She would have asked the person next to her, but because of her sheltered life, she knew next to no one of her age, besides the very few who shared her same social class. She didn't even have the courage to lean over and whisper a question to either of her neighbors, fearing that she would sound like an idiot. But as she looked around, no one else's was glowing, and they didn't even look remotely concerned about the eggs in their hands. So why was hers the only one acting up?

Soon enough, everyone had their eggs and the mayor gave his final words before they were all dismissed.

"As you are all aware, raising a dragon is considered a passage into adulthood. This dragon will become your companion, your partner, and your best friend. They will rely on you as much as you rely on them. Your bond is that of equality and teamwork, of trust and faith, of honesty and strength. Be true to yourselves and you will succeed as a dragon rider and dragon. If you do not work together and distrust each other, you will fail."

And with that, everyone went their own ways. Lucy remained where she was, confused as she held onto her warm, glowing egg. This couldn't be normal. No one else's had done this, so why was hers the only one?

Seeing the Dreyars packing up to leave, she hurriedly walked over, tripping slightly on the uneven pavers surrounding the fountain.

"Um, e-excuse me? Mister Makarov?"

The little man turned around, seeing her as who she was, he gave her a wide smile. Laxus stood off to the side, scowling.

"What can I do for you, my dear?" Makarov asked.

"Is-Is it normal for the egg t-to grow warm a-and glow?" She raised her egg, holding it out to them.

Laxus narrowed his eyes. "The egg isn't glowing, Blondie."

That couldn't be right. There was obviously a golden light surrounding the egg. How could they not see it? It was almost bright enough to cast a shadow.

"You can't see it?" she whispered more to herself than the two men before her.

Makarov hummed and stepped closer to her, holding out his hands for the egg. "May I?"

She nodded and handed the egg over to him. Just as it touched his hands, Makarov flinched and pulled his hands away. He rubbed the palms of his hands, frowning at the egg that Lucy fumbled with.

"I would say that it is certainly warm…interesting…"

"Mister Makarov…is there something wrong with the egg? Is my dragon going to be alright? Does this mean that it's sick? I won't be able to take care of it if it's sick, my father will force me to get rid of it. I can't let this happen. Mister, please tell me ever-"

Makarov waved his hand, cutting her off her small case of word vomit.

"My child, your dragon is fine. Nothing is wrong with it, in fact, he is extremely healthy."

"He? You already know the gender?"

How did this man know so many things with simply a touch that cannot be possible? Such a thing didn't exist outside of him.

Makarov smiled at her once again. "I see many things, my child, secrets do not escape me. You have a good heart, a strong one, aching for adventure. Your dragon, he will be able to provide with the excitement and freedom you seek."

Freedom? "So my dragon is fine?"

Makarov nodded, and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. Her dragon was perfectly fine. She had nothing to worry about.

"Thank you! Have a wonderful day, both of you!"

Lucy spun and practically skipped away from the two men she had essentially spent the day with. Her egg glowed happily in her hands, and it wasn't until she reached the outer limits of the city that she realized that she had forgotten to get clarification about why her egg was glowing. She had heard no record of dragons having any sort of powers, just the ability of telepathy, and that was used to speak to their rider. But to be emitting light? That was something new and way beyond her.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy woke up to find her egg missing from her room. Where could it have gone? Her father had given her permission to have a dragon, why would he back out now? That was bad business and he never backed out of deals half way through.

Searching her room frantically to see if she had left it somewhere and simply forgot. Clothes were tossed everywhere, her bed was already a mess, but she ripped the blankets off and threw the pillows across the room in her search. She exhausted all possibilities in her room and her adjoining bathroom, and it was nowhere to be found.

Where had it gone?

Lucy ripped at her hair and groaned. It was bad enough that today was a day her father had commanded her to attend an afternoon social with him in prospect for marrying her off, but now she couldn't find her dragon. It couldn't have hatched…had it?

He wouldn't.

Lucy didn't even bother with the mess she left in her room. She rushed out and flew through the hallways till she arrived at her father's study, barging in without even knocking.

There it was. Her dragon, still an egg, sitting on his desk as he lazily stared at it.

What was he doing with her egg? He may be an ass about the whole marriage and taking over his business, but he's never violated his privacy like this before.

"Father." Her breath was short from running through the multitude of hallways in their home.

"Ah, Lucy." He wasn't surprised by her sudden presence at all. "I would have figured that you would at least dress before you came to see me."

She narrowed her eyes. "I wouldn't have to see you if you hadn't taken something that belongs to me."

Her father hummed and slid a finger along the egg's shell. It was surprising that he was able to touch it. Makarov hadn't been able to lay a finger on it after she had received it. What had been pleasantly warm for her was scalding to the older man.

"Why do you have my dragon?"

"To ensure that you will go to a social I have planned for this weekend."

She ground her teeth, biting back a snarky response that was on the tip of her tongue. Another social? She had agreed to the one this afternoon, not the weekend. She took a deep breath before she answered him. "We had agreed that I would attend the social with you this afternoon if I was able to get my own dragon, not this weekend. What you are doing is…is dirtying our agreement."

"Lucy, this is simply called insurance. You will understand when you take over the family name."

Like she would be here long enough for that to happen. This was bad business.

"Insurance or not, the egg remains with me," she ground out. It was the day for her father to truly test her patience.

He hummed again. "You are still under my roof, you will abide by my rules."

"You let me have anything I have ever wanted, but as soon as I show interest in having my own dragon, you suddenly change. What is so wrong with having a dragon, Father?" she snapped.

Her father's mustache twitched and he sat up straight in his chair, folding his fingers together. "You will watch your tone with me, girl, or you will find this dragon gone."

Lucy clenched her fists as she stood in front of her father, facing his threats head on. She was so done with him controlling every aspect of her life. If her wants didn't line up with his, he would still drag her to wherever she didn't want to go or do. But now she was an adult. He couldn't control her anymore.

"Father. I have already agreed to go. Now, give me back my dragon."

"I will keep this egg until the social has passed. You may leave."

Lucy was all but growling at this point. She was not going to let her father rule over her anymore. This was it.

"I will not tolerate being treated like an untrustworthy child. I'm a full member of society, and this goes beyond your duties as a father."

Her father froze before her, a hand on her egg. Lucy held her breath as she watched his fingers turn white. The egg wasn't fragile, but who knew where the fine lines lay.

"You are my daughter, and I will raise you how I see fit," he snarled.

Lucy stiffened. She wasn't ready to leave, her dragon hadn't even hatched, but if her father was going to be this way, there was no way she would survive the next couple of years if he was going to continue like this. Over the past few years, as she had gotten older, Jude Heartfilia had slowly tightened his grip on her life. She was no longer able to go out and walk the streets, no longer able to go shopping for clothes or books, and forget even walking outside in their own gardens. He even began to police her wardrobe, insisting on the frilly dresses that drove her crazy.

It was now or never, she had to take the chance.

"I will not allow myself to be controlled anymore."

Her father stood, palms flat on his desk, her dragon resting in between them. His face was contorted in fury, mottled red, almost purple, as he fought to control his temper. Lucy stood straight and stared him down as he sputtered incoherencies at her.

Before he could even form a full sentence, Lucy stalked up and snatched her egg away from him, walking back towards the door. It warmed in her hands instantly.

"Lucille Heartfilia, give that dragon back right now!"

Lucy didn't even bother to stop as she spoke, "The dragon is mine, Father, not yours."

"If you walk through that door right now, you are no longer allowed back in this house!"

She paused and looked over her shoulder. "Then consider me disowned."

And with that, she walked out on her only family.

* * *

Tears streamed down her face as she packed as much as she could into her packs. She had asked one of the maids to ready a horse for her since her dragon had yet to hatch, but it was the best she could ask for considering the circumstances.

Lucy sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. She had to be gone by the next meal, which was within the hour. Her father had told her as much after she had walked away from him.

Finally, she was done packing. It wasn't much compared to the rest of her wardrobe, but with all the pants, tunics, and other shirts she had, it still took two packs. She carefully placed her dragon egg inside the one she would be wearing and shouldered her bags. Lucy trudged through the hallways of her home.

She stopped by a seemingly random closet and grabbed her bow and quiver. Despite being a land of peace, Fiore still had bandits that controlled portions of roads, demanding tolls or simply robbing anyone who happened to pass through. She was competent with a sword, but she was far better with a bow and arrow.

Many of the maids watched from small alcoves lining the hallways, tears in their eyes. Lucy had been the life of the Heartfilia home ever since her mother had passed away. All of them were watching her solemnly, their light was vanishing right before them and now they had nothing.

Lucy felt terrible for leaving them, but there was nothing she could do. She wasn't going to leave her dragon with her father as collateral for going to a social. As much as her father prided himself on being a great businessman, the way he insured deals to go through his way left a sour taste in her mouth, and she had no qualms about letting his business run itself into the ground once everyone found out that she was disowned and he had no surviving heir.

She took a deep breath and exited her home, heading towards the stables. Her horse was led by one the stable hands, already saddled. She took the reins from him, thanking him kindly. She resituated one of her bags and let the other fall to the ground.

Her horse turned to nuzzle her shoulder, and she couldn't help but smile at the kind creature.

"Miss Lucy! Please wait!"

Lucy turned and saw one of the newer maids running from the house, carrying something in her hands.

"Yes, what is it?" she replied, concerned as to why one of the staff would call out to her in such a manner. They were always respectful but they never truly talked out of turn.

"Your…Your father asked for you…you to take this…" she gasped.

Lucy looked down at what the maid held in her hands. It was a pouch of coins. She looked towards the house and saw her father turn away from one of the windows. So he did care on some level to make sure she could provide for herself.

She silently thanked him as she took the pouch, a small smile being all she could muster. She tucked it away and turned to her horse. Her bag had been tied to the back of the saddle and she climbed onto her horse, situating herself and the bag on her back.

Lucy took a deep breath and put on a brave smile for all the maids that had surrounded her and the one stable boy who was waiting to see if she needed any more assistance.

"I wish I was leaving on better terms than this," she said, a small wobble in her voice, "but I wish you all the best. Be patient with my father, I know he is very critical, but he wants the best for this family. His words may be harsh, but his heart is hopefully in the right place…"

She raised a hand to her eyes and wiped away the tears that had suddenly sprung up. Throughout the whole process of packing and arranging everything with the house staff, she had been crying. But this? This was close to downright sobbing. And with her farewell…it was the final crack in the dam.

"I-I want, I wish-Unfortunately, I can no longer remain here with you. Try as-as…try as I might, I do not belong here anymore," she stuttered, "I hope for the best for all of you, but this is goodbye for the time being."

She turned her horse to the gate and began to trot away from them. She heard the tears from many of the maids who had come outside for her farewell. Lucy clenched her teeth and let the tears spill down her cheeks, struggling to restrain herself from turning around and running back to them all. They had been her family and her friends, but she couldn't force herself to live under the same roof as her father. They would survive without her, her father has always treated them well despite the class differences.

Lucy looked down at her hands as her horse continued down the path that led to the main road. When she reached the final gate, she took the chance to look over her shoulder and back at her old home.

It stood regally atop a small hill, a grand entrance of a gold plated gate, and the white stone it was made of glowed orange from the setting sun. It was a sprawling mansion, spreading itself across almost an acre of land, guest wings that remained empty throughout her whole life adding to the complexity of the floor plan. It had been great fun to play hide-and-seek with her favorite maids and mother. Maybe someday she would be able to return to her estate.

Turning around, she took a deep breath and turned her back to the sun, following the night. A few months by horseback and she would be in the country of Pergrande, where a new king ruled and prosperity flourished.

* * *

 **And there we have it, the beginning to a new story and the start of a new adventure for Lucy. I hope you all enjoyed, please leave a review, favorite, or follow, any will do. Feedback is always welcome, I can't wait to see what you guys think!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Mogi**


	2. Part 2: Places to Be, Sights to See

**Hey! I'm back and here's part two! I have nothing else to say but to enjoy!**

* * *

Living in a saddle was much harder than Lucy had originally thought. She had seen others do it, whether it was dragon or horse, and they didn't seem to have minded it. Long days in the saddle simply proved to be unpleasant and Lucy had taken to walking with her horse instead of riding.

It was bordering the end of the tenth day of being on the road, and Lucy wished she could find an inn. Sleeping outdoors on the ground wasn't comfortable, but there was no civilization in sight.

She sighed, massaging her lower back as she led the horse along the road, allowing the poor thing a break from her constant weight.

She had yet to see anyone on this road. This road led straight through the few countries that were in between Fiore and Pergrande. It would take months of travel, but she was determined to do it.

The sun was at her back, giving its last few minutes of warmth before the night spread its cold hands over the sky. She desperately looked for a place off the side of the road to camp for the night, but the land was offering no possible place for such a thing. As far as she could see on either side of her was marshland, no dry land besides the raised road under her feet existed.

"I guess it's going to be a night in the saddle," she muttered.

The horse lipped at her hair, whickering at the sound of her voice.

Lucy reached over her shoulder and rubbed the gelding's nose. He was a kind and loyal creature, Lucy was thankful the stable hand had picked this horse. The Heartfilia estate had wonderful horses in their stables, but this one particularly kind and obedient compared to the rest.

Looking up at the sky, she stopped. It was dark enough to begin to see the stars. Her mother slipped into her mind, whispering about her favorite constellations, and telling stories about them as if they were true friends.

" _Remember, Lucy, the stars are your guides. Always pay them your respect when they appear before you."_

Lucy smiled at that sky, spotting Cancer's sign on the horizon. Leo would be the next constellation to dominate the sky, ushering in the warmest part of the year for Fiore. She remembered the days where her mother would take her stargazing, oftentimes they would fall asleep in the field. She recalled her happier moments at home. It wasn't until her mother passed away that her life became nothing more than a gilded cage. Her father limited her freedom and as the years passed, she felt more like a prisoner than anything else.

Sadness washed over her and her smile faded. She missed her home, the house staff were wonderful people and her friends.

"Well, it's getting dark, might as well climb back on," she mumbled, filling the silence.

Lucy swung herself up into the saddle and settled down for the rest of the night. So much for sleeping tonight.

* * *

Two days later, she staggered into the next town. Half way through the day, the forest had come into view. Upon seeing the shade that it would offer from the marsh and grassland heat, Lucy picked up her pace until she was deep into the woods. The cooler temperatures allowed Lucy to relax and look at something else besides the road in front of her, grassland didn't provide much to look at in terms of scenery. She made her way into a forest town by the name of Clover Town. After almost two full weeks of traveling, she finally made it civilization.

She was dusty and aware that she stank from all of the nights she was forced to stay in the saddle while traveling through marshland and plains. Her blonde hair that had been originally plaited was now in a matted ponytail at the back of her head.

A bath.

She needed a bath.

A bath and a bed and maybe, just maybe, she would return to being human again.

Finding an inn with decent prices though was another matter entirely.

The town itself was full of small buildings, never going above two stories. The walls built out of logs and mud made up the hardy structures they were now.

She continued through the streets, packed in tracks from carts defining the paths of travel. She and the horse moseyed their way through the main part of town, still looking for an inn she could rent a room and stable her horse for a small fee. The few that she had seen when they had entered the town had demanded a price of a hundred joules for her and another seventy-five for her horse. All for one night.

Frustrated, she passed food stalls and tourist carts. The food smelled delicious and Lucy eyed the fresh clothing with envy, sorely wishing that she could change out of her dirty traveling clothes.

She came to the town center where a small fountain stood and children were splashing happily within it. Careful of her pack and the egg inside, she slid off of her horse and led him to the water, knowing that he was just as thirsty as she was. She untied her canteen and her horse started to slurp the water. Lucy dunked her canteen, the water was cool on her hands and she was tempted to join the children playing in the water on the other side of the fountain.

With a full bottle, she sat on the edge of the fountain, gulping down the cool water. She was glad she made it to this town even though she was almost too exhausted to feel anything else. Her bottom was still smarting and she considered standing to relieve it, but her feet were in just as bad shape. Another day on the road, she was sure she wouldn't have made it to her goal of reaching Pergrande.

As she looked around, she noticed the lack of dragons, or at least, the larger ones that Magnolia was famous for. Clover Town's dragons were no larger than a pony and no smaller than a cat. These people couldn't fly on those dragons, but from what she had seen in Magnolia, everyone was a dragon rider there. All of their dragons were huge compared to Clover's, these looking more like pets than partners.

As Lucy observed the townspeople and dragons, she failed to notice a rather pretty blonde stroll up to the fountain and fill a bucket of water right next to her.

"Are you traveling?"

Lucy jumped, a small sound of surprise escaping from her as she turned to the woman next to her.

"I-I'm sorry, did you ask me something?" she asked as she grabbed the reins of her horse before he could run off. Her small scream startled him.

The woman smiled and laughed lightly. "You look like you have been traveling for a long time. Where are you from?"

Luck blinked and silently considered if it would be appropriate to tell this stranger where she was from. She seemed friendly enough, it couldn't hurt to tell her. Could it?

"Oh, um yes, I've been on the road for a while now. I came from Magnolia."

The woman whistled. "Really? That's a two-week ride from here on a horse!"

Lucy's horse bumped his nose against her shoulder and she absently reached up to rub his cheek as she smiled. "Yeah, and it certainly took that long getting here."

"Then what brings you to Clover Town? It can't be the dragons."

Lucy cracked a wry grin but shook her head. "No, I'm just passing through."

"Is that so? It's not the wood makers? The spa?"

Lucy shook her head and took another sip from her canteen, choosing to remain silent as the woman prattled on about the interesting things that could possibly bring someone to this small town.

"Well, that's a shame then," the friendly stranger finally huffed.

Lucy couldn't hold back the sheepish smile that dissolved into her blushing as the woman broke out into a musical laugh.

"Uhh, I believe I missed something, but what is so funny?"

The young woman wiped a stray tear from cheek as she sobered up, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "Oh, it's nothing to concern your pretty little head over. You're clearly new to traveling for long periods, did you say what your name was?"

Again Lucy shook her head. "I haven't shared it, no."

The blonde before her stuck out a hand. "Well then, I'm Jenny, Jenny Realight!"

Lucy hesitated slightly at Jenny's sudden offer but shook her hand regardless. Her upbringing wouldn't allow her to ignore someone who had been kind enough to hold a conversation with her, a mere traveler.

"I'm Lucy." The people in this town were certainly friendly, it was something she wasn't used to. Her father was adamant about limiting interactions with people from lower classes, no matter how much she protested they were no different. He kept her locked away in the estate, dictating who she was allowed to talk to. Unfortunately, that led to them all being potential spouses.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy!" Jenny beamed at her, and Lucy was almost certain she could get a sunburn from how bright she was smiling.

"Likewise!"

The pack on her shoulders grew warm, loosening the tight muscles in her back as she continued her conversation with Jenny. Her egg had been inconsistent with when it would grow warm, almost as if it was showing its emotions through its heat. Lucy pulled the pack off, and put her hand inside, rubbing the smooth shell of the egg. It pulsed, seeming content with the contact. If she found an inn tonight, she'll have to spend some time with the egg out of her pack.

"Do you need a place to stay, Lucy? I know the inns around here can be pricey for travelers, but there are some cheap ones."

Lucy almost hugged Jenny in her eagerness to find a low priced in, grabbing onto her shoulders and exclaiming, "Yes, please! All the ones I've seen are too overpriced."

Jenny laughed and took Lucy's hands into her own. "They tend to be that way here. There's one that I actually work at, want me to take you there?"

"That would be so kind of you!"

Jenny stood up and grabbed her bucket of water, pulling Lucy to her feet. "Well, let's get a move on then, I have the wash to finish!"

Lucy grabbed her bag and the reins of her horse and followed closely behind Jenny.

The cheery blonde kept the conversation going and it wasn't until she said that they were a few streets away that logic kicked in and Lucy mentally slapped herself for forgetting about where she was supposed to keep her horse.

"Jenny? Does this place have stables? I need a place for my horse to rest…"

"Of course we do! I wouldn't suggest this place otherwise! We have the cheapest prices for our stables and lodgings."

Lucy sagged with relief. She had almost rushed into this, not thinking of her one companion. As if he knew she was thinking about him, her horse bumped her back with his nose, huffing in her hair. More than likely telling her not to worry about it. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling at him and he flicked an ear in return.

"We're here!" Jenny cheered, spinning around and spilling some of the water from her bucket in the process.

Lucy giggled, covering her mouth with her free hand and took a look at the building.

Across the front porch in bold blue letters, _Blue Pegasus Inn_ announced its presence. A stylized horse symbol topped it all off at the end.

"Unlike the rest of the town, this building had been painted with less melancholy; in fact, it held an image of hope. Blues were accompanied with pink accents and the horse symbol she assumed was a logo was more than overbearing."

"This is…certainly a lovely building…"

Jenny laughed, her astonishment must have shown on her face, because the next thing Lucy knew, Jenny was leading her around the building and saying, "You don't have to hide your opinion of the hostel, we all make fun of it here."

The stable was the same color scheme, and Lucy inwardly cringed. The place seemed nice enough but these colors were borderline obnoxious. The whole area was in a very large clearing, no trees for a dozen yards in either direction, and it was currently the middle of the day, so the sun was high in the sky. Its light made the inn practically glow, she had to squint to look at it directly. Who came up with this paint scheme?

"You can stable your horse here, and store your things in the stall. We have a couple of in-house horses, but they're nice enough to everyone. Stay away from the white one, though, he likes to bite," Jenny rambled. "I'll be over here finishing the wash, there's some feed in every stall and it's no extra cost either."

"Thank you so much," Lucy gushed, "I'll be right back!"

The other woman waved her off. "Take your time, you're the only one here right now, so no need to rush anything. We do know there's another person who'll be coming to dinner, but that won't change anything with your horse."

Lucy led her horse into the stables and immediately she was greeted with nickers from the other horses inside. Most of the stalls were occupied in the front of the barn, so she led her horse to the back. It was a nice stable, well equipped with everything.

She slid her bag to the ground as she unlatched a stall door. Her horse danced behind her, anxious to have the load on his back gone. Once he was in the stall, Lucy set to work, taking off her large saddle bag and untying her quiver from the saddle horn. She slipped her bow over her head and set it down next to everything. The saddle itself came next, and once it was gone, she could audibly hear the sigh of relief from her horse. She patted him on the shoulder, murmuring praises to him as set about brushing him down.

* * *

An hour later, Jenny came calling after her, announcing that she was done with the wash. She found Lucy deep asleep in the corner of the stall, her egg hugged to her chest and her horse lying down beside her. As much as she didn't want to wake her, knowing full well that she was exhausted from traveling, Lucy deserved a proper room to sleep in, as well as a bath.

She poked Lucy in the cheek and the girl squawked, lashing out with one arm while the other curled protectively around her egg. Jenny caught her wrist before she could do any harm, shushing her before she could truly start to panic.

"Lucy! It's just me. The wash is done and it's almost dinner. Let's go get you washed up and changed."

Lucy blinked bleary-eyes at Jenny, briefly wondering why this woman was in her room before she heard the sounds of horses neighing and the _wump_ of dragon wings brought her back to the real world. She realized very quickly that she was no longer at home and was in fact at the Blue Pegasus Inn.

"Huh-wha…? Did you mention food?" she yawned, sitting up and stretching her arms.

Jenny stood back up and motioned for her to follow. "Yup, but you need to clean up first."

Lucy stood up and stuffed her egg back inside her bag before following after. The egg had warmed contentedly in her arms, pulsing in small waves and eventually lulling her to sleep. She didn't even notice that she had fallen asleep in the first place.

"Hey, um Jenny?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"How much do the rooms here cost anyways? You never mentioned it on the way here."

They passed a magnificent black dragon on their way to the main building, its scales glinting red in the setting sun. Lucy stared in awe, completely tuning out Jenny's answer. This dragon was unbelievably large, just lying down, it towered over the main Blue Pegasus building.

"She's magnificent, isn't she?"

As much as the dragon captured her attention, the character that stood next to her nearly took her breath away.

A man with windblown, wild pink hair stood next to the incredible dragon.

"S-she- uh, um, yes, she i-is…" Lucy stuttered.

He cracked a toothy grin at her and walked up to them. "Did you find another stray, Jen?"

Jenny laughed at him as they continued on their way to the main building. "She's just passing through, don't go getting any ideas."

His green eyes locked onto her and Lucy felt herself falling into them, they were almost an impossible color. They were green, but flecks of black and red sparked in them, giving them a very predatory look, although his expression was anything but. His grin faded into a kind smile.

"So it seems."

He looked away and fell into step next to Jenny, striking up an engaging conversation with her. Lucy took a deep breath to steady her nerves. This man in front of her…she had no words. He carried himself with confidence, but the air around him whispered that he was down to earth. He wore leather lined pants and thick layers of shirts. Was he one of the few riders that chose to ride their dragon bareback?

She chanced a look back at his dragon, noting the lack of a saddle, but couldn't blame him for foregoing one. His dragon would require a handcrafted one, which would cost more than a small fortune for a saddle of that size. All the materials needed would deplete any saddle maker's stocks.

"Lucy?"

She turned back to Jenny and noticed that she and the man were standing just outside the back door to the inn. She had been caught openly staring at the man's dragon for the second time that evening. Lucy heard it rumble in amusement from here, her red eyes glinting at her.

The man burst into laughter, almost causing him to double over as he continued to cackle.

Lucy felt heat rise in her cheeks, as well on her back where her egg was carried. She frowned and made her way up to Blue Pegasus.

"What is suddenly so funny?" she asked. Her words were short and clipped, her annoyance clear.

"O-oh man, I-I'm sorry…That, that was rude of me…Valdas could you be any more blunt? Jeez." He rubbed his stomach as he straightened back up, once again a toothy smile split his face.

"Valdas?"

"My apologies, Miss Lucy. I meant no offense," he said, still smiling.

Lucy rolled her eyes and waved off the honorific. "Please, Lucy is just fine. But is Valdas your dragon?"

"Yes, she is. She has quite the tongue."

"And the wit it seems, cracking a joke like that."

He winked at her. "How 'bout we continue this conversation over the evening meal, yes?"

Lucy blushed again, not at all experienced with a man whom she knew was flirting with her.

Lucy had seen that Jenny had moved into the main room of the inn, heading straight for the bar that lined one side. She decided that ignoring the man and his flirting was her best course of action, no need to get attached to this stranger when she would be leaving the next day.

She brushed past him, walking into the room. She heard a distinct sniff and a small gag from behind her, and her proud walk turned into that of shame. She strode up to Jenny as fast as she could, instantly demanding a bath or shower.

"My, my, someone has been traveling for a long time," another man crooned from behind the bar.

Lucy fought the urge to snarl at the man. She knew quite well what she looked like and her smell was no fresh breeze judging from the way the pink haired man nearly lost his last meal from her just passing by.

"Master Bob, leave her alone. She just got here," Jenny chided, slapping the man on the shoulder when he leaned over the counter.

"Oh, Jenny, I meant nothing by it. I'm more interested in the man over by the door," Master Bob sung.

The man was on the large side, and he had somehow squeezed himself into a rather flamboyant outfit. His top was pink, its long sleeves were tight on his upper arms, and the wide cuffs swallowed his hands. Lucy could only guess what he was wearing below that.

Jenny rolled her eyes and took Lucy by the hand and led her up a staircase.

"Don't mind the Master, he's a sweet man, a little eccentric, but really quite kind. If he likes you, he may let you stay free," Jenny explained as she continued to lead Lucy by the hand through the hallways on the upper floor.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I gathered that," was all Lucy replied, "Thank you."

Soon enough Jenny entered a room at the very end of the hallway and a wave of heat greeted them when she opened the door.

"This is my private bath, you can use any of my shampoos for your hair. When you're done, bring your clothes down, I'll wash them for you."

Lucy turned to her, her mouth open in shock. What kind of graciousness was this? She had done nothing to warrant this kind of treatment. She and Jenny had only just met mere hours ago and now she was being given permission to use her private bath?

"There has to be something I can do to repay you for this! I don't deserve this much kindness. I have only just wandered into this town and you were kind enough to show me a place to stay for the night and now you are letting me use your own bath? I have to pay you for this!"

Jenny simply shook her head and headed for the door. "That's not my decision, its Master Bob's. Just take your bath and change, Lucy. Dinner will be ready by the time you are done." And with that, Lucy's newest friend was gone.

At least she got her bath.

* * *

Lucy couldn't even describe how much better she felt after her bath.

The sun had set while she was still bathing, so the hallways were fairly dark in between the small lanterns lining the walls.

Smelling the food she was promised, she hurried down the stairs to be greeted with another set of strangers.

Three men stood in front of her, the one with auburn hair taking her hand and giving it a quick kiss. She felt slightly violated, she didn't even receive a proper introduction from this man.

"Such a fair maiden, how did you wind up in a place like this, Milady?" he asked. His glasses flashed when he looked back up to her.

Lucy withdrew her hand and held it to her chest. Who was this?

"I'm sorry, I'm just traveling through and staying here for the night," she explained, trying to push past them.

The shortest one, another blond, stepped in her way. "Would you mind taking your meal with us?"

These men were strangers to her, why would she want to dine with them?

"Again, I'm sorry, but I just wish to get my meal and go to bed."

Over her shoulder, the third man scoffed. "It's not like we were really wanting to eat with you anyway."

Lucy's temper flared, who did these men think they were? "Please, I simply wish to eat in peace. Now if you excuse me-"

She stepped around the youngest of the three and made her way to the bar, but was stopped yet again by another man.

"Such a lovely parfum…"

 _What was with all these men?_

This was getting ridiculous and Lucy wanted no business with this troll of a man, let alone the three she encountered at the bottom of the staircase.

"Ichiya, Hibiki, Ren, Eve, leave the poor girl alone," Master Bob called from the bar.

As the smallest man turned to look at the innkeeper, Lucy scurried around him and made her way to the safety of the bar.

"Thank you," she breathed, leaning heavily on the counter top.

"It's no problem, Sweetie. Now, what would you like to eat?"

"Whatever is on the men-"

"How 'bout two of everything and we go find a table?"

Lucy could feel her patience running thin. Was it too much to ask for to be left alone for the evening? Maybe it was because of the long weeks of traveling alone that she was unused to dealing with people again. Not that she ever was in the first place, her father saw to that.

The pink haired man from before plucked her bag from her shoulder and steered her towards a table by the empty hearth. Light flared from her bag and Lucy gasped, stealing it back from the man just as they reached it. Setting the bag on the table, she flipped open the top.

Light spilled out and a low whistle came from the man who dragged her over.

"That's certainly something…" he muttered.

Lucy spun around. "You can see it?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. "That thing is lighting up the room, it's kinda hard to not see it."

She glanced behind him where the rest of the staff of Blue Pegasus were gathered at the bar. They were looking their way but they didn't seem to notice that her dragon egg was actually glowing bright enough to light the room.

Turning back to her bag and peering inside, the egg dimmed and she felt the warmth radiating off of it. The man peered over her shoulder and made a noise of acknowledgment.

"That makes more sense."

Lucy flipped her bag shut now that the light had dimmed and set it on the ground. She cast the man a glare as she sat down at the table, crossing her arms.

"I do hope you mind sharing because I don't know anything about what's going on with it," she said flatly.

Her impromptu companion rolled his eyes and sat across from her, waving a hand to Jenny. "No need to get snippy, Princess. I've never seen it before, but I have heard of it. Did the old man Makarov give you that egg?"

She narrowed her eyes and stared him down, mulling over if she should really answer him. In Magnolia, the people were friendly but they weren't nosy. Here in Clover Town, it was a completely different dynamic and Lucy had a hard time deciding if she would be rude if she refused to answer any more questions.

But this man. This pink haired man of all people.

He lazed in his chair, hands laced behind his head, pulling his black shirt up, exposing a small part of his tanned stomach. Whatever position he was, he commanded attention, and despite his relaxed and slightly smug posture, his face was neutral, waiting for her to answer his question.

"One, do not call me 'Princess'. Second, how do you know Mister Makarov?" she answered after a moment.

"So the old geezer has told people to stop calling him Master, eh?"

"What does that have to do with anything? He is still the Master of Dragons in Magnolia. As far as I know, I'm the only one who calls him Mister."

The man leaned forward onto his elbows, smirking.

"Laxus hasn't taken over? Man, Makarov is never going to die."

Lucy scowled at him. "Do you mean for Sir Laxus to take over?"

He shook his head, his pink hair flopping down onto his forehead. "Nah, the old geezer is one of my favorite people. But it explains why your little dragon there is lighting up the room."

Lucy opened her mouth just as Jenny came over with a large platter of food.

"Once you're finished with all this, I'll come out with the next round. Sound good?" she asked cheerfully.

The man lit, smiling so bright and wide he almost split his face in half. "Yep, I'll shout for ya. Just keep the other bozos over there, yeah? Don't need them interrupting our conversation."

He glanced at Lucy and gave her a wink. She rolled her eyes in retaliation, taking a plate before he could even start on his.

They ate in silence. Lucy had no desire to try and talk about such a serious subject while her mouth was full of food. And it wasn't like her table mate could talk anyways. He was too busy shoveling all the food before him into his mouth. Was he even breathing?

Before she finished even half her plate, he was waving Jenny over and stacking the plates in front of him.

"Thanks, Jenny!" And he commenced shoving the second wave of food into the bottomless pit known as his stomach.

Lucy lost her appetite just watching. When he started to lick the second to last plate, she pushed her food away, not wanting to risk losing her dinner.

She didn't have to wait long for him to finish, he even cleaned her plate of food as well, and he sat back with a contented smile, patting his stomach. Jenny came over quickly and cleared away the towers of plates that covered the table and once she was gone, the man was all back to business.

"So the old geezer gave you that egg, right? He give you a reason why?" he asked.

Lucy shook her head and lowered her head into her hand. "Only said that he was a perfect fit."

"He?"

"Mhm, Mister Makarov was able to tell me the gender of my dragon before I left the city."

The man hummed and quirked an eyebrow. "Why did you leave Magnolia? It's the perfect city to raise a dragon."

Lucy grimaced. "Personal reasons."

He scrutinized her for a moment, staring at her intently. She shifted under his gaze, suddenly feeling slightly uncomfortable under his unique green stare.

When he let the silence stretch much longer than she felt was needed, Lucy decided to try and get some information from him.

"Why are you talking to me? We only met today and you have taken a more serious interest in me than just a normal person would. What do you want?"

His pink hair bounced as he chuckled after her questions. "Lucy, I knew about the egg you carried before you even made it to this town. The old geezer contacted me to keep an eye on you. That egg you have is more valuable than the egg that you could have been given normally. Makarov and Laxus confirmed that you could have been paired with any of the dragon eggs they have in Magnolia."

Lucy frowned, confused about what he was going on about. "So what are you saying? Is the egg I have something more than a common dragon from Magnolia?"

"A common dragon?" he barked out a laugh and scratched his cheek as he thought of a way to phrase his words correctly. "A common dragon would not have an egg that size, nor would it change temperature, let alone glow. The only people who can even see it glow and feel its warmth are those that have some ounce of royal blood in them."

Lucy stared at him as if he grew a second head. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I am a noble but certainly not a royal."

She was of noble class, yes, but not of royal blood. Her status was all in money, money her father created. The Heartfilia name was only known throughout Magnolia, and maybe the smaller surrounding towns, but here in Clover Town? Lucy was sure her name held no importance. But even still. Her? A royal? That was ridiculous.

"That dragon egg says otherwise."

He couldn't be serious. To declare something such as that was preposterous and Lucy felt insulted that he would insinuate such a thing.

"You're joking."

He smirked at her and nodded his head towards her bag on the floor. "Again, the dragon egg is telling a different story, Luce."

"My name is Lucy." It wasn't fair that he knew her name, let alone give her a nickname.

"I don't appreciate being given a nickname when I don't even know your name." She growled.

The man winked at her for the third time the evening and Lucy seriously considered slapping him.

"That, my Princess Lucy, is for another time."

* * *

 **You guys are so great, you're reviews were amazing and all the follow and favs that came in made my night.**

 **Anyways, what do you think? Kinda a cliffy, but more will be explained next chapter. So stay tuned!**

* * *

 **NaLuFTfantic:** _Thanks! I love your comments and yeah it was sad, but it had to happen._

 **PibullColin:** _To be honest,_ I _thought about making this a one shot but then it just got so long. So here it is in parts. :)_

 **Kauia:** _Welp, here's a little more insight to where I'm going. Thanks for loving it. :)_

 **Guest:** _Thanks for the encouragement!_

 **nikkiw67:** _Omg you're awesome! And who doesn't want to beat up Jude? I just love writing him as the asshole, way too much fun. xD_

 **xTernel:** _Oh you silly swede... xD I pretty much gave it away, but I feed off of frustration from my readers. Sorry for the spoilers when you told me you read it! xD_

* * *

 **That's all I have. I don't run on a schedule so I update whenever. Let me know what you think in a review!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Mogi**


	3. Part 3: Secrets are No Fun

**Ohman this was another doozy to write. I hope you guys are enjoying the long chapters (they're a bitch to edit btw, hope you all know that!) AANYYWAAYS, enjoy the next part to this tale!**

* * *

The man stood up and walked away, leaving Lucy dumbfounded. He said that he wanted to discuss things over dinner, but all he did was evade her questions. She had answered all of his. She ground her teeth in frustration, clenching her fists in her lap. This man. He was impossible, but why did he demand so much of her attention?

Lucy watched as he strode up to Jenny and took the key she offered him. He looked back at her, winked for a final time that night with a sly grin and disappeared up the stairs.

All she wanted to slap that blasted smirk off his face. It felt like he was toying with her.

Her eyebrow twitched and Lucy reached up to smooth her brow. She hadn't expected her journey to end up like this. It was exhausting in the first place, and now she has to deal with this frustrating stranger. She didn't even know his name!

With a heavy sigh she pushed back from the table and stood up. She felt the warmth radiating out of her bag from her egg. It eased some of her frustration, comforting heat washing through her as she shouldered her bag.

She made her way up to Jenny, a yawn escaping her.

"Can… ah, sorry, excuse me. Can I have the key to my room?"

"Sure thing, Lucy!" She ducked behind the counter for a second before reappearing with a key. "You're down the hall from Mister Flirts-A-Lot, but he shouldn't be much of an issue after tonight."

Lucy looked at her quizzically. "Is he leaving in the morning?"

Jenny shook her head and waved her off. "Nothing to worry about. He just needs sleep like you do. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

Lucy smiled at the kind woman, gracious that she hadn't been left to wander the town and pay for an overpriced room.

She followed behind Jenny, dragging her feet as her exhaustion tightened its grip on her once again. She had really wanted to speak with that man for a while longer. She had so many questions. How did he know Mister Makarov and Laxus? How did he know about her egg? Why was he sent to look after her? Didn't he know that it would be years before she and her dragon would be able to fly by themselves? He had to know that he was committing to watch over her for at least three years.

She stumbled out of her thoughts as she bumped into Jenny's shoulder. The other woman caught her before she bounced off and fell to the ground.

"Easy there, don't need you bumping your head."

Lucy nodded, head feeling so fuzzy that she was sure that when she hit the bed, she would be out for the night. Jenny handed her the key and wished her goodnight.

Another jaw-popping yawn crawled out of Lucy's frame as she struggled with fitting the key into the lock. Eventually, she managed to stumble into the room. A bed and armoire made up the furniture of the room. No desk or another room leading to the bathroom. She didn't really bother to think about there being a public bath for Blue Pegasus.

She dropped her bag on the mattress and took out the egg, hugging it to her chest. She didn't waste time before she crawled into bed. Covers be damned, the egg warmed her enough that she didn't need them. Her thoughts about the man from earlier faded to the back of her mind as she drifted off to sleep, a light hum the only sound alongside her gentle breathing. She nuzzled the egg.

"I can't wait to meet you…" she whispered. "I want to meet my friend…"

Lucy swam away into the sleep that conquered her mind, never noticing the light that filled her room.

* * *

The sun was pouring directly into her room, landing on her face with no remorse. Lucy scrunched her eyebrows and tried to roll over, but the weight on her stomach made it nearly impossible. Something was digging into her sides and arms.

Groaning, Lucy figured it was time to wake up and face the morning. Last night's sleep was the most satisfying she had gotten in a long time. Sleeping on the ground on the side of the road was torture on her body, the mattress felt like a cloud in comparison.

She cracked her eyes open, blinking them rapidly as she tried to adjust to the brightness of the sun. Tears dampened her eyes, she always looked like she woke up crying but she had no idea why. She reached up to wipe her eyes and tried to sit up.

Again the weight held her down. Grumbling, Lucy looked down at her stomach as best as she could and was greeted with a pair of golden eyes and silver scales.

 _It's about time you're awake, I've been waiting forever!_

She blinked once.

Then a second time. Her brain was short circuiting.

After the third blink, she finally realized she was eye to eye with her dragon.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. He cocked his head to one side, looking at her with concern.

 _Is something wrong? I thought you wanted to meet me._ He said, shifting slightly on top of her. He was really quite heavy, weighing as much as a small dog.

"I…I uh… Sorry, I just w-wasn't expecting to meet you so soon," she managed in her shock. She was positive when the man from last night saw her when she came down, he was going to pounce her with questions. Probably lecture her as well while he was at it.

Her dragon crawled up her body and bumped noses with her.

 _It's been two weeks, and I've been listening to you the whole time, waiting for you to ask me to meet you._

Lucy blinked at him, meeting his gold reptilian eyes.

"That was why you never hatched before?" she asked.

He nodded and nuzzled her cheek, still not getting off of her. _I had to make sure you really wanted me. Many times I have been handed back after months of not hatching._

She laid her head back on her pillow and stared at the ceiling. It was rare for anyone to return their dragon egg back to Mister Makarov, most of the time he would simply tell people that they had to be patient. It was a sad experience to return an egg and simply exchanging it for another. It wasn't often that Mister Makarov was wrong.

"How many times?" she asked, a sad note in her voice. This was the first time meeting her dragon and she was already worried about his life before her.

 _The small man took me back seven times but had held my egg for the last fifty years._

His eyes were sad, no longer holding the same spark they had before. Her dragon looked away from her, his scales shimmering in the sunlight. The profile he made was regal, spines forming a small crown were laid flat along his neck. They glinted gold, and compared to when she first woke up, he looked like he was expecting her to give him back now that he told her.

Lucy brought her arms up and cuddled the dragon to her chest, he tucked his head into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long to see the world. I promise to keep you close and show you what I can."

He hummed, his whole frame vibrating with happiness. Lucy smiled and hugged him tighter, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth that he provided. His spines perked up and even though they poked her in the cheek slightly, they didn't hurt. His relief was palatable; it weighed heavily on her heart. Why would someone feel the need to turn away a creature that yearned for their companionship? It was cruel and wrong. She hugged him closer, trying to convey her feelings as much as she could.

A loud gurgling noise ruined the moment, and it took a moment for Lucy to realize that it was her stomach that demanded to be taken care of.

Her dragon pulled away from her, careful of his claws. She sat up as soon as he was on the bed beside her. Now that she had a better view of him, he was actually quite beautiful. He has silver scales, but if she moved just right, there was a hint of gold that sparkled. His eyes were molten gold, matching the shade that was hidden in his scales.

He looked up at her, tilting his head like a bird. His eyes were so full of life and joy. She smiled down at him and ran a hand down his neck.

"You're stunning to look at," she mused aloud.

Her dragon preened, closing his eyes in pleasure as she scratched just under his jaw, purring like a house cat.

Lucy stood up and found her pack at the foot of the bed, where she had probably kicked it off the bed in her sleep. She reached into it and pulled out a new shirt. Her leggings were clean enough to wear for another day.

Her dragon bounced around on the bed as she readied herself, waiting impatiently. Lucy threw her hair into a ponytail, not bothering with a braid for the day. It was quite warm in her room, and the was simply from the sun that was pouring in through the window.

She was done dressing and was heading for the door when suddenly, her dragon wrapped itself around her shoulders and perched there like a bird, having flown over from the bed.

He dragon his head against her cheek, causing her to giggle as he nuzzled her. He was quite affectionate for a dragon. Most dragons she had seen were cold and distant with their partners. Did that happen over time or was that simply the way they worked together? Lucy shrugged the thought off as her stomach rumbled again, drawing her attention back to requiring food.

They made their way downstairs, her wrapping his tail around her arm to keep his balance. The rest of him was perched on her shoulder, much like a parrot, which rather amused her. Possibly due to the fact that he had been lying on her diaphragm while she slept, but she thought that he wasn't nearly as heavy as he had been when she had woken up.

When Lucy and her dragon arrived at the foot of the stairs, the three men that had surrounded her last night, before her talk with the pink haired man, appeared out of thin air. Again. Why was it every time she came down these stairs she was confronted by men?

The one in glasses, Hibiki, took her hand and gave it a chaste kiss. Just like he did last night. Her dragon's scales bristled, and he tightened his claws around her shoulder.

Lucy hissed in pain. Snatching her hand away from Hibiki before he could even finish his greeting and pulled her dragon down from her shoulder. She cradled him in her arms.

All three men took a step away from her, looking as if they had just now seen the dragon.

"So, it hatched," Eve, the small blond one announced.

"He did," was Lucy's short reply. Frankly, she had no patience for these men who made it their mission to flirt with any female in their immediate vicinity.

She shoved her way past them, ignoring their calls after her and made her straight for the bar, where Master Bob and Jenny could fend them off for her while she ate. Her dragon hummed in her arms, eyes closed, completely at ease now.

"Does he have a name yet?" Jenny asked as she slid Lucy a plate piled up with food. There was no way she was going to finish this all.

She picked up her fork and shook her head. "Haven't got a clue." Her dragon slithered over to her other shoulder and sniffed at her fork as she raised it to her mouth. She giggled lightly before she ate what was in front of her. "But he is certainly lively," she muttered after swallowing.

The hatchling blinked at her and nuzzled her cheek.

 _We match energies. You have the same energy level I do._

Lucy hummed as she chewed on her food. Surprisingly, the food was disappearing faster than she thought. When she heard a burp and saw a puff of smoke from the corner of her eye, she figured out why. Her dragon was eating her food too. She watched him go for her food again before she playfully pushed his head away, saving her food.

Jenny laughed from across from her. "You know, we used to have someone here who was versed in the stars. Your dragon reminds me of one of the constellations she always spoke of."

Lucy looked up from her food. The stars? How did jenny know about her love for the stars? And which constellation? Draco?

"Her name was Karen," Jenny continued, leaning on her elbow over the counter of the bar. "She was always going on how the stars were the source of life, calling it _Aiuen_ or something like that. Something to do with stardust and some people have more _Aiuen_ than others."

Lucy vaguely remembered her mother talking about that. She had mentioned that the Heartfilia line had excess stardust in their family. But it was an old family story, something to explain how they came into existence. Lucy hadn't put much stock into it. As far as she knew, her mother had been the only one in Magnolia to talk about old stories in such a way, using the stars.

" _Aiuen_? I've heard that before." Lucy pushed the plate in front of her dragon, letting him finish off the scraps. "My mother used to tell stories about it."

"Then you know the true meaning, right?"

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "They were bedtime stories from when I was younger. But _Aiuen_ is essentially the life that courses through us. Not many people believe it anymore. More and more people are believing in the science behind everything. Spirituality doesn't mean anything."

"Karen had a dragon named Leo, after the constellation. She was a firm believer in the stars, despite the way she treated everything." Master Bob appeared next to Jenny, wearing the same outfit from the day before. He was surprisingly solemn.

"What happened to her?" she asked.

Master Bob gave her a firm stare. "Whatever you do, do not mistreat your dragon and steal others."

His warning hung in the air as he walked back into the kitchen. The men that had greeted her at the stairs were circling, waiting for her to get up from the counter.

Lucy was curious to know what happened to Karen and her dragon, or dragons, but she figured that would have to wait for a different time.

After Master Bob had spoken, Jenny had fallen quiet and for the first time looked sad about what had just been said.

"Jenny?" She reached out and covered Jenny's hand with her own. "I'm sorry for your loss, she seemed like she was close to you."

Jenny blinked at her, her blue eyes alarmingly bright, on the verge of tears. Quickly she wiped her eyes before any tears could fall.

"No, no, it's fine. Karen had worked here far longer than I have. She taught me a lot, but like everyone, she had her flaws. Some were harder to ignore than most."

Lucy squeezed her hand. "That doesn't make her passing any easier." She stood up, gathering up her dragon and perching him on her shoulder. "By the way, thanks for mentioning the stars and _Aiuen_. I think I have a name for him now."

Jenny perked up, the lighter subject getting her mind off of her past friend momentarily. "So what's it going to be?"

"Aiu. Life, light, and love. All in one word, and one dragon." Her dragon, now Aiu, pressed his head to her cheek.

 _I will honor this name,_ he purred proudly.

Lucy scratched him underneath his chin, eliciting a louder purr from him as she turned from Jenny's beaming smile. "I'll see you later Jenny! Have to go check on my horse."

"Sure thing, dear! Don't fall asleep in the stall again!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Lucy made her way outside and was greeted with the warmth of the morning sun. She took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air of Clover Town. Aiu chirped from her shoulder and spread his wings. In the sunlight, his scales appeared more golden than silver.

"You really are quite beautiful," she whispered.

 _I have heard many people call my egg beautiful, I never truly understood why._ Aiu quirked his head, almost touching their noses.

She blinked and looked away briefly, glancing at the ground. "The meaning of beautiful or why people called you that?"

 _Why am I beautiful? All dragons look the same._ He lifted his head to sniff the breeze. It lifted her hair and Lucy raised a hand to tuck a wayward lock behind her ear.

"All dragons aren't the same. Many dragons that are here in this town are actually different compared to you," Lucy explained as she walked towards the barn.

The stunning black dragon from the night before was sunning itself, taking up most of the clearing. She raised her head at the sound of the two of them walking by, her red eyes focusing on them. Lucy waved casually at her. The dragon was intimidating, not only in size, however its crimson glare felt like fire. Her scales were charcoal black but they tinted red just like Aiu's tinted gold. She huffed after inspecting and laid her head back down.

Aiu had watched her closely, wanting to reach out and ask her name, but from the cackle that he heard from the barn as Lucy called it, he would find out soon enough.

Lucy's shoulders slumped. Of course, the man from yesterday would be where she wanted to go. Her peace was over. The two weeks she spent traveling to reach Clover Town, those silent days that she swore about every waking moment were gone, and now she found herself wishing they were back.

She looked into the barn and found him. He had removed the flight armor from the night before and stood in front of her horse's stall in loose white pants tied off at the knees, an odd one-sleeved shirt, a white scarf was also wrapped around his neck. Somehow he pulled the outfit off, matching his eccentric hairstyle. He wore some of his hair tied back in a small ponytail which left his bangs out. She saw his ears flash. He had multiple earrings lining the outside of his earlobe. The top most were linked with a small chain that connected with the lowest one. When did they make earrings like that? That wasn't a style she knew of in Fiore.

Her horse reached his head out of his stall and bumped the man in the chest. He laughed again, patting the horse's forehead. It was such a domestic scene, considering this man rode a massive black dragon. Imagining him on a horse seemed a little ridiculous now.

Lucy smirked as she watched her horse nuzzled the man's scarf.

"Oi, Happy you can't have that. It's mine!" he laughed as her horse pulled on the material.

Figuring it was time to say something, Lucy made her way towards the pair at the back of the barn. Before she could even say something, the man turned to her with a wide grin on his face.

"Thought he would hatch last night. Congratulations, you officially own a dragon." He tugged his scarf out of her horse's mouth and rearranged it around his neck.

"Ah, thank you." Lucy bypassed him and went straight for her horse, introducing him to Aiu.

"Hey there, big guy. This is Aiu, he's our new riding companion," she murmured in a low voice, patting the gelding's cheek.

"Aiu, eh? Strange name, perfect for a weirdo."

Lucy glared at the man over her shoulder, letting Aiu cross over to the horse and sit on his back. "I beg your pardon?"

The man crossed his arms and smirked at her. It was like it was a permanent fixture on his face. "You heard me, Weirdo."

Lucy faced him and planted her hands on her hips, scowling at him. "That's not my name and I am not weird."

He snorted and looked behind her. "She's a weirdo, ain't she, Happy?"

"Happy?" she asked incredulously. She watched as her horse nodded his head, nickering in response. Lucy whipped back around to face the man. "You named my horse Happy?"

He shrugged. "He looked happy just standin' there and even happier when I came up to say hi. He's a happy horse."

Lucy sighed, rubbing her brow. This man was impossible. "Okay, fine. The horse is named Happy now. But what is yours?"

His pink bangs swayed as he shook his head. "Not the time yet, Princess."

They both jumped with a roar came from outside. The man cringed and cast a wary glance outside. Suddenly the barn became dark as a red eye glared from the entrance.

"Oh come on, Valdas. It's not like she can get rid of me. Why should I tell her?"

Valdas growled in response, and despite the distance between the two, the man scampered behind her and used her as a shield. Lucy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Valdas' slit pupil narrowed to nothing more than a thin black line. The heat she felt before when she passed the black dragon was oppressive, her anger making her sweat.

The dragon snapped her teeth and the man growled back from behind her.

"My hair is salmon! SALMON! Not pink, you overgrown lizard!" he shouted.

Lucy sighed and stared off into space. "Sure, Pinky. You can't tell me your name, but you can give me the exact color of your hair and give me nicknames," she grumbled sarcastically. "Sounds like a great friendship we have."

"Oi, do not call me Pinky. It's undignified." He huffed and stepped away from her.

Valdas rolled her eye and left the barn, giving the ground an indignant slap with her tail as she walked away.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell her eventually," he grumbled after her.

"Tell me what?" Lucy asked. She was so tired of him beating around the bush with her questions. "Are you going to finally answer my questions?"

He looked at her out of the corner of her eye, sobering up from the spat he had with his dragon. After a moment, he sighed and motioned for her to follow and walked out of the barn.

"Aiu." Lucy held out her arm and her dragon came gliding over. The horse, Happy, snorted as he took off.

 _He has something very important to say. His_ aiuen _is wavering with uncertainty,_ he said as he situated himself on her shoulder.

Again with that word. Things weren't adding up. " _Aiuen_? It's an actual thing? Not just from old stories?" What was she missing? This man was sent by Makarov. _Aiuen_ has been mentioned more than once.

 _He can explain better than I can at the moment, Lucy._ Aiu nuzzled her ear in apology.

She stood there, lost in thought, trying to piece everything together with the little information she had. A small roar from Valdas brought her back to reality and Lucy shook herself. Her mind was swimming with questions.

Lucy jogged outside uneasiness settling in her stomach. She had no idea what the outside world was like. The only news she got was when she traveled to the inner city of Magnolia. Even then, the news was weeks old and have no relevance to what was happening in the surrounding countries.

The man was sitting on his dragon's foreleg, lounging against her shoulder.

"Took you long enough, did you get lost in there?" he grumbled, looking up at the sky. His hands were behind his head, again pulling his shirt tight across his chest. The one arm she could see was well muscled and the way the fabric stretched across his middle led her to believe that this man was beyond fit. Almost along the lines of prepared for war.

"Lucy. Get your head of the clouds and stop staring at me. I know I'm pretty but, damn, there's no need to keep ogling." He laughed but it stopped short as Valdas laid her head on top of him, cutting off his air supply.

"Dammit you stupid… dragon! Get- off… get off of me!" He pushed at her head, but she wouldn't budge. Lucy could only smile as he struggled.

"Seems like Valdas doesn't appreciate you being full of yourself," she remarked, a smile playing at her lips.

A rumble came from the black dragon as it chuckled at her rider's predicament.

"You're-You're not help-ing. Get her- off!"

Lucy skipped over to him and leaned over him, a sparkle in her eyes. "I'll consider helping you, if- and only if- you tell me your name."

He narrowed his eyes at her and frowned as he continued to struggle and squirm underneath Valdas' head. "What-makes you-you think… that I wouldn't tell-tell you?"

Lucy stood up straight and put a finger to her lips. "I don't know…maybe you avoiding to introduce yourself like a proper gentleman, or even choosing not to answer me when I asked? Those seem to be valid reasons, yes?"

He gritted his teeth, his pointed canines giving him a feral look. Lucy watched and let him suffer for a few more moments before he finally gave up with a huge huff.

"My name…is Natsu. Natsu Dragneel."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Dragneel?" she gasped.

The Dragneel name was well known for breeding magnificent dragons throughout all of Fiore. It explained why he knew Makarov and the beauty of his own dragon. But what did that have to do with her and her own dragon?

Valdas lifted her head, letting out a billow of smoke on her rider as she did so. He coughed and waved a hand in front of his face, trying to dissipate the smoke. Once it cleared, he gave her a lopsided grin.

"So you know my full name, and seem to know about my family's profession. What's your name and family occupation?" Natsu asked.

She stared at him, contemplating her answer. She didn't know if her family name reached as widely as the Dragneel name did.

Aiu nudged her cheek and looked at her with molten gold eyes. _He is genuinely curious; he just wants to know you._

Lucy sighed and looked off into the woods. "My name is Lucy Heartfilia, and my father runs the Magnolia Bank."

Natsu whistled. "Some name there. Luigi Hearts-what's-it? That's a mouthful."

She glared at him, clenching her fists. His jokes about her name were getting quite old. Starting with 'Luce' and 'Princess', then progressing to 'Weirdo'. It was enough to drive her mad. "I know you know my name, use it properly."

"Okay, okay. Lucy. Pretty name, by the way, can't help the joke, though. They're part of the package."

She raised an eyebrow. "Package? Since when did I buy you?"

Natsu leaned back against his dragon, his multicolored eyes alive with mischief. "It's not like that, Princess, but you're stuck with me for the indefinite future."

"E-Excuse me?" she sputtered, aghast with such an idea. No matter how attractive this man was, his personality could certainly use some work. All he did was grate on her nerves, and it was only the beginning of the day. She could already feel a headache coming.

"You heard me. Like I told you last night, the old geezer sent me here to watch over you. And that means you're stuck with me till I say you're fine on your own." He gave her a triumphant grin.

"I refuse," she snapped. The whole idea of traveling with him for the foreseeable future made her stomach twist with knots of apprehension and frustration. There was no way something like this was going to end well.

Lucy turned and began to stomp back to the inn, ignoring his shout for her to stop. She was almost there when she was pulled to a stop by a warm hand around her wrist. Aiu didn't waste time to unwrap himself from her arm and shoulder and transfer himself to Natsu's own shoulder. She looked at him betrayed and hurt that he wouldn't side with her on this. But his eyes were sad and he whined, pleading for her to not leave this man.

She opened her mouth to speak but Natsu hushed her by pressing a finger to her lips. "Please, just listen and trust me about this. Makarov gave me the whole story and you and Aiu are in just as much danger as Valdas and I. You need to stay with me."

His remarkable eyes bored into hers and Lucy felt heat rising to her cheeks. They were surprisingly close, mere inches apart. Natsu was leaning down slightly to meet her gaze, he was almost a full head taller than her. He was still holding onto her wrist, but gently, almost caressing it. She shifted her hand and he let her slide her fingers out of his grasp, but she didn't let go. She held onto his hand. He glanced down at their interlocked fingers and met her eyes once more. The red flecks in his eyes danced in the light, the darker parts lighting them up in and around the forest green. His eyes were concerned, concerned for her. Lucy felt a rush of air leave her as she realized that he actually cared. She hadn't seen eyes like his in years, most were only looking at her with desire, filled with lust for the money that her family had in stock.

She couldn't leave him. He was sent here to protect her, and as much as she didn't want to admit it, there was no way she could protect herself with a newly hatched dragon and a bow and arrow.

"Luce?" he asked, his voice no louder than a whisper.

She came to a decision, one that she had to make for herself and Aiu. She was no longer alone, and as much as this man tested her patience, his heart was in the right place in wanting to help her.

Lucy closed her eyes and nodded. "I'll stay with you, but you have to promise no more secrets. If this is going to work, you have to tell me why Aiu and I are in danger, why Mister Makarov sent you after me, and why you have to protect me when anyone else could do the job. Can you do that?"

Natsu chuckled and leaned forward, letting his forehead rest on hers. Their noses touched and Lucy felt a blush bloom in her cheeks. He smelled like pine wood and dragon-fire. The man closed his eyes and nodded. "You have my word. Partners?"

She smiled and nodded once more. "Partners."

* * *

 **Did y'all make it ok? I know, I know, not much has happened, but trust me, there's a reason for everything! We finally got Natsu's name (I mean c'mon he had to mess with her a little bit, yeah? xD) and next part we will finally get some more information! It'll pick up from here, hope you're ready~ ;)**

* * *

 **TigerArrowgirl:** _Yo that's awesome you're writing something like this too! I haven't seen any dragon rider aus for the fandom yet, so I was like, why the hell not? I'll be on the look out for your story when you post!_

 **SophieUZB:** _Haha, you weren't the only one to think Natsu was going to be a dragon. I'm glad you found this story, I know it can be hard to read something on tumblr. P.S. Hope you're still addicted. x)_

 **xTernel:** _Anna! You sweet goddess, yes the egg size was something we both discusses, thank you for asking. Playing it off as being self-centered momentarily. And thanks for acknowledging Jenny, she doesn't get enough rep in the fandom. Anywho, the way Lucy is traveling is canon to the map of Fiore and Ishgar, so where she is heading lines up with her heading to Blue Pegasus. Fairy Tail, of course, would be in Magnolia._

 **Doublepasse:** _What? I managed to get you wrapped up in this story too? xD Ah yes, Natsu is fully human, but with some tricks up his sleeve, who knows what they will be or when he decides to reveal them ;) And tbh, I love Love LOVE writing a flirty and sassy Natsu. He's the perfect character for it, don't you think?_

 **PitbullColin:** _Thank you! Glad you are enjoying this!_

 **shippersaurus:** Ahhh omg, thank you! I'm so glad you are liking this story. ^^

 **FireDragonRoaring:** _Ray, Ray, Ray, R. A. Y. Here you go, enjoy your sassy children! xD (Kracken comes in the next part xP)_

 **Ethoocream:** _It makes me so happy to see people having faith in this story, hahah, I really wasn't expecting it to gain this much attention. *blushes heavily*_

* * *

 **Omg, you guys are doing great with reviewing, I love it. Keep it up! The more reviews, the faster the updates, it's a proven trend with me. xD**

 **See y'all next time!**

 **Mogi**


	4. Part 4: The Bond Between Us

**Heyy guys! So here is the next installment of FOSAF! All the love for this is seriously an inspiration booster. Hope you enjoy this part~**

* * *

They weren't there either.

Where were they?

Royal dragons weren't gone yet. The Dragneel's had their stash of eggs. He would let them hold onto those for now, they posed no threat as of yet.

But another had hatched. He would have to find it.

Smoke drifted around him as he heaved air in and out. His red eyes searched in vain for any sign of life in the town he just flattened. Fires shimmered and crackled in the streets, devouring anything they could burn.

No one was alive and there had been no royal dragon and their rider to pay for it.

 _My lord…_

He took a deep breath and calmed himself. _Yes?_

 _They are one town over…in the town of trees…_

The soft voice was a balm on his rage, a cool wave of reasoning washed over him.

 _My thanks, Ankhseram._

They wasted no time. He leapt up into the air and pressed forward.

One more town to destroy and his search for the next generation would be over. He couldn't risk white magic being used, lest they figured how to separate him and Ankhseram. He couldn't lose her. Her health resided on his, and white magic would tear them apart.

He was going to protect his dragon, even if it cost him his life.

* * *

A fiery red dragon landed heavily on the hill, its rider wasting no time in jumping to the ground. Dusk had settled and the stars were beginning to appear in the sky.

The hill over looked a city…what was left of it. Smoke rose from the devastation. Fires lit up the sky as they continued to burn into the night. Buildings were crumbled, full sections of the city were flattened.

The rider looked upon the calamity, aware that no one had made it out alive. The city would never return. Dragon fire had scorched this land black, and the coals would continue to burn for years, leaving the land inhospitable.

 _We were too late,_ his dragon said.

The man grunted and shook his head. "Even if we were here, Atlas, we would not have been able to dissuade him from attacking. He is beyond reason."

The scarlet dragon let out a long breath. He knew well that his sister was only following the orders of her rider, but this was far beyond her level of cruelty.

 _Maybe not, but the city could have evacuated._

His rider met his gold gaze, knowing where his actual thoughts lay. "Your sister is no longer. Our king has performed black magic and combined their forms. You know this. There is no saving her now."

Atlas shifted where he stood, claws digging into the soil. It was true. His sister no longer existed, hadn't for many years. It was still a hard concept for him to grasp fully. Dragons were bound with their rider's heart and soul, royals more than most. Their connection ran deep; to the point they were almost considered of one mind. Ankhseram had been a proud dragon, still was according to Atlas. His sister wasn't gone, but there was no way to get her back

 _Igneel, if black magic exists, there must be white magic to counteract it, yes?_

"Somewhere, but not within Pergrande's borders. Acnologia would have seen to that."

The city below them continued to smolder, the air heavy with smoke and ashes. It was a sad evening, the loss of this city would cause repercussions throughout the country, but wherever a rumor spoke of another royal dragon being hatched, Acnologia was sure to hunt it down and burn the surroundings without remorse.

Igneel whispered a prayer, hoping the gods would see this loss of _Aiuen_ and guide it to the _Zeruan_. These souls were innocent casualties in Acnologia's hunt to eliminate all sources or royal dragons and their potential in white magic. For now, they were left with following in their king's wake.

"Let's go, there is nothing we can do here," Igneel muttered and climbed onto his dragon's back.

Atlas took off, leaving deep furrows in the ground from his claws. With one last circle of the city, they flew after the king of Pergrande.

* * *

Natsu slurped his soup. For the first time, he had absolutely no appetite and only ordered one dish for his evening meal. Lucy and Aiu sat across from him, a slight look of disgust on her face as she watched him eat. Natsu had no qualms about the way he ate, it was a custom to eat loudly where he was from, it showed that he enjoyed the food.

"Stop judging me, Princess, looking disgusted isn't gonna make me change my eating habits." He took another slurp.

Lucy sighed and pushed her food away. Natsu gave her some tidbits about what was going on throughout Ishgar. Royal dragons were being hunted and sticking together was the best option. Even though it made them a bigger target and easier to find, they could defend themselves. Not that Lucy was much help, Aiu had only just hatched and it was going to be years before he was able to fly with her.

"It isn't your, um, table manners, even though they could use some refining... but more about what you told me." She absently started to rub Aiu's head, wheels turning in her head.

"Those are a lost cause, give up now before you sprout gray hairs," he laughed.

His soup was gone and Jenny came by to clean up their dishes, parting with a friendly pat on Aiu's head. He chirped after her, making Lucy smile. Aiu's friendliness made her glad he wasn't as surly as Valdas. Spending the day with the black dragon made her realize that dragon was irritable because her rider was nothing but trouble. Instead of focusing on the important things, he went on and on about his adventures with Valdas. Valdas was grumpy and didn't contribute much to their conversation, small quips here and there, forcing Natsu to snap back or dissolve into a laughing fit. All of it was entertaining, but it proved frustrating because Lucy was getting no real information from either of them.

Aiu turned to her and tilted his head, concerned. _Just as him, he promised he would answer all your questions._

Lucy couldn't help but grumble slightly under her breath, low enough that Natsu couldn't hear her. This was important, yet here she was stalling about asking the man who was sent here to help her what was going on.

"Ya know, Luce…Nothing is gonna be said if you don't start asking questions," Natsu sighed and smirked, locking eyes with her. "So, what's going through that pretty mind of yours?"

Even in the low light of the inn's dining area, Natsu could still see her cheeks flush with his casual flirting. His smirk broadened into a grin as he watched Lucy order her thoughts. She was cute when she was thinking, her brow always scrunched together slightly, giving her a pensive look, but that spark in her eyes as she solved a problem told him that Lucy was far smarter than anyone cared to give her credit for.

The lively silver dragon she had wound his way up around her shoulder, butted his head into her cheek, silently giving her encouragement. Natsu had no idea why this was so hard for her; any normal person would be firing off questions faster than he could answer. But Lucy was just sitting there, an ever increasing worried look on her face.

Her eyes flicked here and there, briefly meeting his as he waited patiently to start asking him questions. They had spent the day getting to know each other. Natsu had tried to get her to tell him more about herself, but her body language had spoken volumes. She was uncomfortable and out of her depth.

The silence stretched between them for another moment and finally Natsu took pity on her. She had started to shift in her seat, looking ready to bolt if they remained seated there for much longer.

 _Natsu, this is her first time outside Magnolia. She knows nothing about what's going on, her father essentially locked her away,_ Valdas mentioned.

Her yawn echoed around the clearing, startling some of the birds nearby and flying off.

He looked over at the wall and grumbled, "That makes a lot more sense now…"

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

Natsu glanced back at the blonde across from him. She had Aiu cradled in her arm, holding onto him like he was her tether to the world.

"Valdas just mentioned something that I forgot," he said. "Nothing to worry about."

The man stood up and walked over to the fire place and stared into it. "I forgot that this is your first time outside of Magnolia, and that town is very far removed from worldly news, you probably have no idea what the surrounding cities and towns, not to mention the other countries are dealing with at the moment."

Lucy stood up and followed after him, standing off to the side of the hearth. "Then what is happening?"

Natsu cast a weary glance at her. He had heard this story so many times from his father, had spent so much time training to be able to defend himself if he was ever caught. For the past six or so years, he had been on the run from him.

"Acnologia," he hissed.

"The king of Pergrande?"

Natsu nodded and Lucy covered her mouth in shock. The information she had on Pergrande was vastly outdated if she hadn't known that Acnologia, the king of Pergrande, was causing destruction around the continent of Ishgar.

"W-what? Why…What is the King doing?"

Natsu closed his eyes. He was tense. Just talking about this man felt like he could crash into the inn at any moment.

"The king of Pergrande has been hunting."

"Hunting?" Lucy stepped closer to him, his tension was like a magnet; she couldn't stay away. She placed a hand on his arm, feeling the anxiety thrumming through his body. "What is he after, Natsu?"

"He's been hunting us, royal dragons and their riders. He's hunting us because we pose a threat." Why was he having such a hard time telling her? His father flashed through his mind, atop a scarlet dragon. Natsu truly hoped that he would see his father one last time before he would be forced to leave Ishgar. If he was ever going to be safe, he knew he would have to leave the continent. It was also possible that Lucy would have to travel with him.

Lucy tightened her grip on his arm, drawing his thoughts back to her and not his father. Her eyes were dancing in the fire light; gold flecks were already starting to appear in them. Her blazed gold, matching the flecks in her eyes and Aiu's scales and flowed over her shoulder from its tie. Lucy's gaze was focused solely on him, Aiu's too when he glanced at the small dragon.

"Why is he hunting us? What threat can we possibly pose when he is in a different country?"

Natsu forced himself to crack a smile, his lame attempt at trying to lighten the situation. The topic they were discussing was anything but and his grin didn't even reach his eyes. "You misunderstand, Luce. He has been hunting, hunting all over Ishgar. Seven, Bosco, Stella? All have been scoured already, any signs of a royal dragon eliminated. This is a man who shows no mercy when threatened."

"But why? Why is he hunting us?"

Natsu stared back into the flame of the fire. "The King is hunting white magic, the only thing that could possibly stop him. Royal riders are naturally attuned with it," he took a steady breath before he continued, "but, we can easily be swayed to practice black magic."

"And the King has used black magic?"

He nodded. "It's unbelievable that the Old Man would give you a royal dragon when any other dragon would hatch for you."

Lucy frowned. "But Mister Makarov said Aiu would be perfect for me."

The man shook her hand off and grabbed her shoulders. "Aiu is perfect for you, but now you are in constant danger!" he hissed. Why did he care? He was forced to be here, to watch over her. She was just someone to take care of.

"That cannot be true! You are only saying that-"

"Saying it for what? For the fun of it?" Natsu growled, his eyes hard. "Trust me, Princess, I'm not saying this for just my health. You are in danger; I am in danger. Both of our dragons are in danger. This isn't a time to be playing the naïve child!"

His words hit her hard. Slowly she shook her head, not believing him. Aiu tried to comfort her, but she could barely feel him on her shoulders. Natsu's hands burned through her clothing and she flinched away from him. No. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. This was wrong, the world wasn't in peril, she wasn't being hunted by a foreign king. It wasn't happening.

"T-this has… this has to be a dream…" she mumbled. Her knees were shaky and she felt cold, even standing next to the fire. "I h-haven't even left Fiore yet…and, and I-I'm already in danger?"

She shook her head faster, hair whipping around. "No, no, this i-isn't real!" Her hands came up to her face, tears pricked the corners of her eyes. No, she-

Warmth enveloped her. It slowly seeped into her, calming as it filled her. She was pressed up against something firm.

 _Lucy? Lucy?_ Aiu repeated her name multiple times, trying to catch her attention.

"Lucy, listen…there was a reason I didn't want to tell you right away. You were going to freak out, I knew it," a low voice soothed. "But look, I'm here with you, you're not going to be alone in this, okay?"

She nodded numbly against him, gradually realizing that she was being held by Natsu. He had pulled her into a comforting hug when she had started to panic. His cheek was pressed against the top of her head, his arms were wrapped around her shoulder and the small of her back, holding her snugly to him. Safe. For the first time since her mother died, she felt safe.

"N-Natsu…?"

He pulled away after a soft squeeze but left his hands on her shoulder. They simply laid there, no grip in them like they had before.

She looked up at him, again his eyes were dancing. The fire light lit them up, catching the warmer tones in them. His eyes practically glowed.

"Lucy, I'm sorry that I scared you, but you needed to know the truth," he murmured. "But, that was the reaction…that was the reaction I expected, and I really hoped that you would react differently." He felt terrible for sending her into a panic, but she had asked, and he had promised.

Lucy found herself nodding, understanding the reasons why he wanted to be secretive at first. "I-I…I understand for-"

A loud roar echoed through the end. She heard Natsu curse and Aiu wrapped himself tighter around her shoulders. The sky became dark and soon the only like they had was the fire and lanterns spaced throughout the inn.

"What was that?" Jenny asked. All of Blue Pegasus looked towards the windows and saw only shadows.

A smaller roar answered back.

 _Get down!_

Natsu tackled Lucy and rolled with her under a table just as a tail burst through the wall.

"Shit, he's here."

Lucy coughed through the dust. She could hear groans of pain coming from the bar. Was Jenny and Master Bob okay? Natsu was already scrambling off of her and heading for the door.

"Stay here, Princess! Valdas and I will get him away from here!" he called.

"Wait! What am I supposed to do?" He was already gone.

Aiu unraveled himself and moved himself to her side. _This is bad._

"Do you know what's going on?"

Roars and Natsu's shouts made their way through the destroyed building.

Aiu shook his head. _Whatever is going on out there is worse than we possibly imagined._

* * *

Finally, he had found them.

A red dragon and his rider circled about the small town where two black dragons were fighting. One gleamed with red hues while the other was decorated with electric blue swirls.

"He's found them." Igneel lowered his visor and presses forward into his dragon's neck. "Break them apart, Atlas, give Natsu and Valdas space."

The red dragon grunted and nose-dived into the clearing, aiming for the back of the second dragon.

Valdas roared, spewing a jet of flame in the other dragon's face. It startled her opponent enough for her maneuver away from their claws. She snarled and snapped her teeth.

A flash of pink from below caught her attention, and she wanted to pounce her rider for being so reckless. He was supposed to be with Lucy!

 _Natsu! What are you doing out here?_ She roared at the blue and black dragon. Her menacing display was enough to cause the other dragon

"What? You think I'm gonna let you fight this bastard alone?" he called from below.

Valdas kept her eyes pinned on her attacker. The inn was crumbling with each swing of their tail and she hoped Aiu and Lucy were in a safe spot away. Natsu scrambled his way up her leg, taking his perch between her shoulder blades.

"It's time to put this fucker underground, Valdas. I'm all fired up!"

The jet black dragon snarled fiercely and prepared to pounce on the other dragon.

A blaze of fire caught Valdas' attention and she jumped away from its source. Trees cracked under her weight.

The dragon with the blue swirls roared with a fury that she nearly bowed before it. Its voice demanding obedience to all those who could hear.

Fire kept coming, growing stronger and hotter the closer the source came. Red scales matched the flames and she could feel Natsu's recognition vibrate through their bond.

"Igneel."

 _Atlas._

* * *

 **Soooo... How'd you guys like this part? Shorter than the rest, I know, but pacing guys, pacing.**

 **ANd oh gosh, all the reviews, so many I could cry! ;-; WE DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF REVIEWS WITH PART 3 ALONE. Do you know how crazy that is for me? That being said, I would love to respond to all of you, but that's 15 reviews, and I don't have the time for that. Like omg, I don't know what to do with you all. ^^; So here are lovely mentions~**

 **Kauia, ashinsky, MirrorFlame, Guest #1, TigerArrowgirl, alli-ie (your name change caught me off guard oml xD), xTernel, Sanspree, Black SaberScyth, Guest #2, BloodRedRubies, Kiri, sayomi athena, as well as all those who favorited and reviewed.**

 **That's all I have, see you next time kiddies!**

 **Mogi**

 **P.S. _Aiuen_ is light and life in another language (I forget which one exactly) and ****_Zeruan_ means heaven in another language, different from the first (and I also forgot that one as well) But I just want to let you guys know I'm not making up these words. Toodles~**


	5. Part 5: Fire and Destruction

**H-h-heyyy guys, sorry for just disappearing like that. School happened and drama... oh forget it. I shouldn't bore you with such things. Have a chapter.**

* * *

Natsu, that damn idiot. What was he doing out here facing against Acnologia?

Igneel gritted his teeth and focused on the blue and black dragon snarling at him and Atlas through the red dragon's blast of fire.

Atlas cut off the blaze as he landed, positioning himself between Acnologia and Valdas.

More trees fell to the thrashing of his tail and Atlas bared his teeth to the image of his sister. Ankhseram had brilliant blue swirls decorating her scales and Atlas' mind paused as he gazed at the snarling beast in front of him. Ankhseram had always been an intimidating dragon to look at, but with Acnologia's red eyes glaring back at him, it became even more surreal. Why couldn't his sister rest?

"Igneel! Answer me dammit!"

Igneel glanced over his shoulder to see Natsu standing on Valdas' back, yelling furiously at him.

 _That boy is going to be the death of himself…_ Atlas commented, keeping his eyes fixed on Acnologia. The dragon before him was making a threatening display but was not attacking.

"You know Valdas won't let that happen," Igneel muttered in return.

He turned away from his son and focused on their so-called king.

Acnologia however, thrashed his tail, creating more destruction. The inn crumbled more, trees cracked and splintered, small fires lit the ground, casting an eerie glow in the dark clearing. Growls bounced across the town and Igneel wondered where the villagers were. The commotion was nothing short of distracting.

 _Natsu, we have to get that dragon away from the inn before they are all crushed._ Valdas flicked her eyes to the building; Lucy, Aiu, and the rest of the staff for Blue Pegasus were still trapped inside.

"I know, but Igneel is in the way," Natsu muttered in return. There was nothing he could do if Igneel refused to move.

They had been locked in a stalemate for a few minutes now, the scarlet dragon crouching low was now prepared to attack Acnologia at any moment. He bared his teeth but remained where he was.

The tension vibrated through the air. Every one of them frozen in place, strung tight enough to break at any moment. Igneel and Atlas could feel the pressure from Acnologia trying to assert his dominance over the situation, using Ankhersam's age and size over them. Their combined presence pushed on them, attempting to force them to kneel. Atlas stood strong, but Valdas was struggling.

Igneel tore his eyes away from Acnologia and shouted for Natsu, "You have to leave! Valdas can't fight the King!"

Natsu protested, his disagreement clear, "I ain't leaving you behind again!"

Damn this child was stubborn, even while fully grown. "Natsu now is not the time to argue, get out of here!"

"I can't leave! Neither of you will survive. And what am I supposed to do about her? She's still in there!" He pointed at the rubble behind Acnologia.

Igneel ground his teeth. They had to draw Acnologia away-

The black dragon pounced.

Atlas and Valdas sprang into action. The red dragon met the King of Pergrande violently, their bodies thudding together as snarls and roars echoed around them. Valdas took to the air, choosing to circle above them, out of the fray.

 _We have to find a way to get Lucy and Aiu out._

Natsu couldn't agree more, but this was not how he imagined bringing Lucy to meet his father. The plan had been to circle around the continent of Ishgar, making stops in cities when they needed to, training Lucy how to fight along the way. They would end their trip with meeting his father at their manor. It was Natsu's own decision to search for other royal dragon riders, rebelling against Acnologia's oppressive rule over Pregrande, which prompted the King to to hunt. Sometimes he would follow Natsu and Valdas, other times choosing to follow the rumors of other royal dragons.

They watched anxiously as Atlas and Acnologia wrestled, Igneel had leaped from his dragon's back a few moments earlier before they rolled into the trees. Both dragons were trying to gain the upper hand, clawing and snarling at each other in their fury.

The young man observed from above as torches were lit throughout the town, the roars of dragons finally waking them up. Sooner or later people will be coming to investigate the commotion and Acnologia could easily turn his attention on them. He watched in vain as Atlas and the king fought. They rolled, crushing more trees and debris from the inn.

The black dragon pinned Atlas to the ground. He roared in triumph and made for the kill, but a jet of flame from Atlas hit him in the face and he was forced off of the red dragon. Atlas roared to his feet and leaped on Acnologia's back. They wrestled again, rolling out of the trees and back into the clearing. With a sickening crunch and a scream of pain, the barn was flattened.

Natsu cringed and looked away, Lucy was going to be devastated. She had told him that she had had the horse since she had been quite young.

The two beasts leaped into the air forcing Valdas to land, there was no way she would be able to hold her own with Natsu on her back without his gear.

As she her claws dug into the ground, Natsu jumped from her back and ran towards the inn. It was in shambles and he hoped everyone that was inside was going to make it.

* * *

 _Whatever is going on out there is worse than we possibly imagined._

Wasn't that the understatement of the night.

The table creaked above her and Lucy prayed that it wouldn't come crashing down on her. She could hear moans from over in the bar area and as much as she wanted to go over and see what she could do, she was pinned underneath the table. Debris surrounded her and large beams were leaning on her little shelter. With each passing second, she was certain that the table would split and she would be crushed.

Claustrophobia set in and Lucy attempted to push against the beams, but she had no luck moving any of them. What if she was crushed here? What would happen to Aiu? He had just hatched and his rider was already in a terrible situation, life threatening even. This wasn't fair to him!

"Aiu, can we get out of here? There has to be a safer place than this!" Lucy craned her head around, looking for any possible escape route as best she could.

A shrill scream cut through the roars outside, cracks and thuds cutting it off. Aiu turned towards the sound, he could feel the loss of _Aiuen_ in the area. There were others nearby, Jenny and Hibiki were the worst off, their _Aiuen_ fading rapidly, Master Bob was already gone. Ren and Eve were safe for the most part, only minorly injured.

He still hadn't answered Lucy and he could hear the other dragons' snarls fading, taking their fight elsewhere.

Refusing to wait any longer, Lucy started to shimmy her way out, finding a hole near where she was. It was a tight fit, and even though Aiu hadn't answered her, she could hear that the threat of being crushed by a dragon had gone down when it suddenly became much quieter, almost silent.

Covered in dust she coughed, finally feeling the fresh air on her face. Her lungs felt heavy after being trapped, she had inadvertently breathed in while she had hidden, and the cool air of the night helped to clear them out.

Lucy's shirt and pants were ripped, leaving scratches on her side and her upper thigh. The sky was flashed with red and blue fire as two large dragons battled in the air. They blasted each other with their flames, the blazes meeting each other in the middle and forming a massive purple fireball. It exploded and they broke away from each other, resorting to alternating bursts of flames. They looked to be evenly matched despite the black and blue dragon's larger size.

"M'lady, are you alright?" A gruff voice sounded from her right.

When she turned to look, she was suddenly faced with a man in deep red leather armor, it was in the same style she had seen Natsu wearing when she first met the man.

Everything about the man was red. Dark crimson hair, his eyes were dark like Natsu's but they flashed scarlet in the flickering fires that lined the clearing. He was holding a hand out to her to help her to her feet.

Aiu poked his head out of the rubble, his gold eyes alighting on the man. He chirped at the man. Still holding his hand out for Lucy, the man smiled down at the dragon. It was a very familiar crooked smile, one that she had grown used to seeing today.

"Sir, who are you?" she asked, still weary.

"Let's get you out of here first."

Lucy carefully took his hand, allowing him to pull her to safer footing. Aiu climbed up her body to wrap himself around her shoulders, watching the man, eyes bright and friendly. She narrowed her eyes and kept her guard up. She had no idea who this man was and considering the situation and the information she was just told not ten minutes before, her trust in people had plummeted. Who knew what lengths the King of Pergrande would go to be able to eliminate all royal dragons on the continent, anywhere from hiring hitmen and assassins were possible. Yet here he was in the sky as a dragon fighting another.

"M'lady? Have you heard anything I have just said?"

Lucy flinched. Cursing herself for spacing out in the middle of a high-tension situation.

"I apologize, no I didn't. What did you say your name was?"

The man chuckled, giving her that crooked grin again. "I am Lord Igneel, of the Dragneel House."

Wait, he was Natsu's father? When did he get here? Lucy's eyes widened and she scrutinized the man before her. This man was Igneel Dragneel. The man was… he was a legend. Natsu revered him, Igneel was his role model for so many things. Finding out about Igneel was the one thing that Lucy didn't have to dig for, Natsu was more than willing to talk about his father. Now that she knew who he was, the similarities were so prominent that she was surprised that she hadn't noticed before.

Aiu chirped again, drawing the man's attention back to him. Igneel lit up and a soft smile playing gently at his mouth.

A scar ran down the side of his face and he looked battle worn. Fires burned brighter as they found more fuel, lighting up the clearing. Lucy could now see that his eyes were the same dark green as Natsu's, but they had more flecks of red. Was it a Dragneel thing to have multi-colored eyes?

Igneel reached out, oblivious to the roars that could still be heard from the skies, and made to ghost his hand over Aiu's head.

"He's beautiful…" he breathed.

Lucy smiled kindly in return. "Thank y-"

A dragon crashed to the ground, wailing in pain. Next thing Lucy knew was that she was being hefted over Igneel's shoulder as he took off in the opposite direction of the wounded dragon. Lucy was too shocked to even yell at the man for carrying her in such away, all she could do was lock eyes with the black dragon that had crash landed. The blue swirls were streaked with blood and its glowing red eyes focused on her. The snarl on its face, the anger… the fear and desperation, it froze the blood in Lucy's veins.

Aiu hadn't moved from her shoulders, frozen in the gaze of the giant black dragon.

Igneel was running as fast as he could. A red dragon landed in between them, breaking the gaze of the other dragon.

Lucy felt her blood begin to move again, but she was still cold. It was as if the stare of that dragon had legitimately frozen her to her core. She was shivering over Igneel's shoulder, clutching at his leather armor.

Was this what her life was going to be like, constantly being hunted?

Igneel leaped off the pile of debris and headed for town. Footsteps followed them and Lucy was afraid the dragon's rider was after them.

"Igneel!"

The shout echoed from her left and she caught the sight of wind-blown pink hair and she couldn't be happier to see it.

"Natsu…" she whispered. Her heart felt lighter and her hands stopped trying to claw at Igneel's back.

"Boy, I thought I told you to leave," Igneel shouted back, clearly angry about Natsu disobeying him.

"I wasn't gonna leave without Lucy and Aiu, they need to get away as much as I do!"

Natsu evened with them and the roars from the black and red dragons were deafening. Lucy's ears were ringing whenever they stopped to growl and snarl at each other.

Natsu caught her wide-eyed stare and gave her a reassuring grin. "Don't worry too much, Luce, this is as close as he ever gets, Valdas out flies him every time."

Igneel scoffed and they kept running, making for the trees that the behemoths had flattened in the beginning of their battle. "Natsu, Valdas has only flown with you and me. This girl hasn't flown a day in her life, there's no way you're going to out fly Acnologia with her."

"Pops, I got that covered. I was gonna have Dassy carry her in her front claws as we fly, as long as Atlas keeps him occupied for another few minutes, we can get enough distance between us and him." Natsu slapped on a cocky grin.

Igneel retorted and both men dissolved into throwing ideas and insults at each other, completely disregarding that Lucy was still on Igneel's shoulder like a sack of potatoes and the giant dragons were crushing where the Blue Pegasus Inn used to stand. There was no way anyone but she had made it out.

Valdas circled above them. The other dragons were spewing raging fire at each other as they continued to fight. Natsu's dragon kept a watchful eye on them as her rider, his father, and most recent additions wound their way through the forest, away from the two giants.

Aiu had scrambled over to Natsu from Lucy's shoulders, no longer finding the sack of flour position that she was in appealing. She was still in shock, her friends from the inn were gone, the two dragons crushing them. And her horse, her horse was gone, flattened by the warring dragons. All of her belongings were in those two buildings and now they might as well be dust in the wind.

Lucy clenched her fists, nails digging furiously into her palms. How could this have happened? Was her father right? Should she have stayed home instead of trying to follow in her mom's footsteps and travel the world with her dragon? Lucy didn't even try to keep her body upright as they made their way through the forest. She folded herself over Igneel's shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks. Frustration bombarded her mind, she had no money, so no food, lodging, or even transportation. She was left with the clothes on her back and even they were torn and dirty after one day. She didn't have a horse to travel with. Her bow was gone as well, broken like her horse in the barn.

A hiccup racked her frame, and tears were falling off of her face in waves as she bit her lip to stifle her sobs. Her losses weren't important right now, they had to focus on surviving and running away from the madness that destroyed the inn.

 _Are you ok?_ Aiu asked, crawling down Natsu's body, winding his tail around the upper part of his arm to keep himself steady.

What was she supposed to say? That she wanted to go back home and never travel again? She just got five people and her horse killed. Two others were still in danger because of her. How was this fair at all?

Lucy wiped furiously at her eyes. She couldn't wallow in self-pity here. There had to be something she could do. Anything. Aiu couldn't die because some king from a different country said he had to. It wasn't fair. Valdas shouldn't die either; no dragon should have to die because of his say. They each had their own lives, they should be allowed to live to their fullest extent as well.

"N-no, I'm not…" she whispered.

Natsu paused from his arguing with Igneel to look at her. Lucy was shaking and trying her best to hold in the sobs. Aiu looked back at him, worried for his rider.

"Luce?"

Igneel slowed to a stop. Lucy was close to sobbing uncontrollably now. He set her gently on her feet, but she fell to her hands and knees, keening.

"I-I… this-this isn't w-what I w-wanted…none o-of this…no- of it w-was…" she managed between sobs.

Aiu dropped to the ground and nuzzled her cheek. Her tears were pouring down her face. Both men looked at each other. They were unsure about what needed to be done. Lucy was close to having a panic attack. Atlas and Acnologia were still fighting in the remains of the inn.

"Why? Why did this happen? I'm not even from the same country and I'm being hunted for something that I had no control over. It's not fair!" Lucy pounded her fists on the ground. How was any of this fair?

Natsu knelt down before her, nudging Aiu out of the way slightly. "Luce, we can't stop here. He might still be able to get us." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Lucy looked at him sharply, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "We could have left sooner if it weren't for you toying with me," she snapped.

This enigmatic man before her looked shocked. He commanded so much of her attention, even now in the midst of all this danger. The wild pink hair, the kaleidoscope eyes, his constant crooked grin, though gone from his face for the moment, and the way he treated her like a person rather than an object. She was just eighteen and this man was easily in his twenties, she had no business falling for him, not when they were both being hunted by his king.

The fresh out-of-the-city girl, who knew nothing of the outside world, and who would occasionally reply to him with a witty comeback, looked like she was ready to bite his head off. Natsu really was to blame here. If it weren't for him getting ahead of himself and playing hard to get, they would have been in a different location far from Acnologia.

Lucy turned away from him, picking up Aiu. She was still shaking with fear. "If you would have just told me in the morning, we would have been long gone…but you made me wait till supper," she mumbled.

Natsu sighed and looked up at his father. Igneel shrugged and turned to watch the skies, Atlas and Acnologia were still brawling, thuds and grating claws against scales could be heard over the crackles of the fires spreading throughout the forest.

A triumphant roar echoed around them and they all froze. Blue flame erupted into the sky and Igneel looked like he saw a ghost.

Lucy stared wide-eyed at the blue lit sky. From the flames, the black dragon from before emerged, flying straight for them. Its red eyes spotted them through the trees and it dove into the forest.

It landed nearly feet away. Lucy could feel its hot breath and the incredible heat that it radiated. This beast was a pillar of blue and black fire that threatened to burn them to the ground if they moved an inch.

Igneel was trembling in fury, and Natsu had moved in front of Lucy, protecting her as best as he could before the dragon landed. The older Dragneel took a step forward and the King of Pergrande growled at him.

"What have you done to Atlas?"

The king continued to snarl, slobber dripping down from its maw as it breathed heavily. Blood poured out of countless wounds, its breathing was labored, but somehow the dragon was still standing.

"Answer me, Acnologia!" Igneel roared.

Acnologia looked down at him in contempt, stopping his threatening growls. The silence stretched between them, just like moments before when the king broke the inn apart with his tail.

He huffed and suddenly, the giant dragon before them began to change size. Scales disappeared and skin replaced it. His wings folded in on themselves, melting into his back and his tail slithered its way back into a normal tailbone. Within seconds, the king stood before them once more. A man with a wild mane of dark blue hair and unnatural red eyes glared back at them, those electric blue swirls glowed on his dark skin added to the eerie way the man looked.

Lucy quivered where she was on the ground, hugging Aiu closer to her chest, praying this mountain of a man wouldn't come close enough to take him away. She was too shocked and frightened to notice that he was stark naked before them.

"Igneel." His voice was gravelly and cold, nothing of the warmth and tone the Dragneel's had.

"King Acnologia," Igneel responded curtly.

They glared at each for another moment, baiting each other to speak first.

Natsu remained crouched before Lucy, shielding her as best he could. She held her breath, waiting for anything to break the silence that enveloped them once more.

The king shifted his attention to Natsu. "Dragneel boy, hand her over."

Lucy could see the tension in his muscles, how he was ready to spring at any moment. Valdas was still circling the sky, watching and waiting.

"I refuse." Was his curt reply.

Acnologia growled. "Boy, you would do well to obey your king."

The king bared his teeth, much like a dragon would. Lucy was frozen in fear, not knowing if they should try to strike now or not. Both Natsu and Igneel looked ready to throw themselves at their monarch at any moment.

Acnologia stepped forward but was soon bathed in a column of bright red fire. Natsu turned and hugged Lucy close to him, protecting her from the worst of the heat.

Before the flames even stopped, they were scooped up into massive black claws and were buffeted by strong winds.

Over the sudden gale, Lucy heard Igneel roar and charge at Acnologia. She watched in horror as the men locked themselves in battle.

"Natsu, are they going to be ok?" she whimpered. She still hadn't grasped everything that was happening, shocked that she could be hunted down for her dragon.

Natsu never looked away from the ground, his eyes fixed on his father.

"Dad, no…"

* * *

 **Oh sweet jeezus guys. SO. MANY. REVIEWS. I love you all so much, I wish I could respond, but I simply don't have the time. Just I love you all, you guys keep me going. Plus I should mention we hit over 100 follows? Like hello what? *gathers all of you up and hugs the daylights out of you all* So many thanks.**

 **Reviewers:** AFineMess101, Anniethorbo, Doublepasse (RAPHHH ilysm), xTernel (ilysm too), Guest 1, dogsrcool5, TigerArrowgirl, Srae13, Guest 2, Ashnmarley, StarDragon17, Gaia Kame, Juliastes, BloodRedRubies, Guest 3, ashcator2002, HelloJawsie.

 **Omg, that's, 1..2..3..-17! You guys are the best. And yes thank you to everyone who followed, fav'd, viewed (yes i love you guys too~)**

 **Welp, that's all I have, leave a review pretty please!**

 **Until next time (whenever that is at this point...)**

 **Mogi~**


	6. Part 6: What was Lost

**Sorry for the wait guys, but here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

They considered themselves lucky.

Lucky in the fact that they escaped with their lives.

When they had landed in a town two day's flight away from Clover Town, they heard people whispering how dragon riders were grounded on orders of Fiore's government and it was strange that they arrived while the order was in effect. They stayed there for a week, waiting for any word about what happened to Clover Town.

Just like any country, word traveled slowly to the outer towns. Eventually, after another three days of waiting, they heard that Clover Town had been spared from the Black Dragon because they were saved by the Red Dragon and his rider. There was no word about whether or not both dragons left, or one remained.

Days went by, and there was no change. Lucy found it harder and harder to be in Natsu's presence and she took to exploring the town. Natsu had barely spoken two words to Lucy since then. He mainly communicated to Valdas and left her to figure her own things out. She and Aiu wandered the town on a day to day basis, it was getting to the point that people were recognizing her and giving her a friendly greeting instead of the silent and curious stare from before.

Natsu and Lucy had no money, and what they got in food was from what Natsu could hunt. The dragons were left to their own devices since their appetites were so much ravenous than their riders.

The nightly campfires were the worst. Natsu barely even looked at her, and while that gave her plenty of opportunities to observe him all she wanted, she missed the way they talked like they were friends from the beginning. The banter, the small amount of bickering, the stories? None of that was happening and it left the fire feeling cold despite the incredible heat it provided. She had known the man for two days, and already it was hard to even to try and sit with him. So many things had gone wrong during that one night, the night she had finally gotten pertinent information, and it left her terrified of what the king of Pergrande could accomplish. His glare was forever imprinted in her mind, angry and blazing. It was the look of an angry dragon.

It was the first week of them escaping and nothing had come after them. Nothing had changed between them.

Lucy let out a heavy sigh, staring at her dinner. Roasted rabbit. The same thing that they have been having every night. She was sick of rabbit. Glancing at Natsu, she found him tearing into his. He stared into the fire, his gaze never wavering, and the spark that was there before was gone. His gaze was dead.

* * *

Acnologia rushed back to Pergrande. Something had to be done about the Dragneels. Multiple times they have gotten in his way. The Dragneel boy was constantly moving and always clashed with him when they happened to find another royal rider.

And Igneel. Igneel was the biggest thorn in his side.

Igneel had most of the council under his thumb, making it considerably harder to get what he wanted. Acnologia simply wanted magic to be a part of their society and teaching his citizens capable of harnessing magic would benefit their country greatly.

Then why had he left Igneel and his damned dragon alive?

 _My lord, please, they simply do not understand our situation…_ Ankhseram whispered. It felt that each day his connection with her was growing weaker. They needed to find another rider willing to perform the black magic to keep them together. Or his beloved dragon would be lost to him forever…

Acnologia landed heavily in the palace courtyard. Attendants and councilors swarmed him, asking the reason for his sudden departure a mere three days ago. He shifted down to his human form, a form that he no longer felt comfortable in. He was too confined and his skin felt tight with the magical pressure it took to hide Ankhseram within his original body.

An attendant handed him a cloak, and he grunted his thanks as he threw it about his shouldered, hiding his nakedness until he could return to he could return to his quarters.

"My king, have you returned bearing news?" A blonde man asked. He stood a polite distance away, dressed in a dark outfit, gold piping lining his coat. His hairstyle was ridiculous as always, but the man refused to style it any other way, always muttering about it being his image.

God Serena was a character, and it still surprised Acnologia that the man was still his most trusted advisor, considering their first meeting resulted in the scar that crossed the bridge of his nose and marred his beautiful face.

At least, that's what Serena calls it.

Right.

"The Dragneels got to the girl before us…again," he growled. He dug his nails into his palms and stormed into the palace.

It was a grand thing, grander than most of what in the country, not that he wanted it to be. For all he cared, it could be a shack in the middle of one of their deserts. Yet he was stuck with this insane structure as a home, passed on to him against his will. He had the Dragneels to thank for that, much like the rest of all his troubles.

"Fucking Dragneels…" he muttered bitterly, growling in the back of his throat.

Serena cast a glance at him, waiting for more to be said before he spoke. "My lord, I would suggest bathing before meeting with the council."

Acnologia glared at him. "The council with gather now."

"Yes, sir." Serena bowed and walked off.

Once he was gone, Acnologia let out a rage-filled roar, smashing his fist against one of the pillars. "Damn them to _vraga_!"

He pulled his hand away from the pillar, cracks lacing its way above and below where he had struck. Debris and blood littered his knuckles. Dragon scales didn't protect him when he was human. The king of Pergrande forged his way to the throne room, taking the pair of pants offered from one of the maids along the way.

None of the castle attendants dared to get into his way, his blood red gaze searing into anything into his path. His strides were long and powerful, the cloak he had flapping behind him. He reached the council room before the council.

Acnologia refused to stop until he reached his throne, a large black and over glorified chair. A seat that he never wanted. A position he never cared for. The chair itself sat upon a raised dais, giving a view over everyone's head, not that Acnologia needed the added height. He stood well over six feet tall, the average man in Pergrande barely made it to five foot and nine inches. Acnologia was an imposing figure, corded muscle lining every inch of his body, magic thrumming through his blood and glowing in his ink-markings. His magic shone as a bright blue, it lit up his face and poured down his arms.

Moments after he had sat in himself in his entitled place, council members began to trickle into the room, each genuflecting themselves at the foot of his dais. Serena ushered in the last and Acnologia growled to gather their attention.

"We need to increase our efforts in finding the Royals. I will not stand for this opportunity being lost on us." As of right now, fewer than ten have been found, and of those found, only four have agreed to follow Acnologia's plan.

The eldest council member, a man named Jose, rose to his feet to speak. "My lord, we are stretched very thin in our resources, and we cannot allow-"

The king narrowed his eyes, Ankhseram's heat blazing behind them. "We can and we will. Rework the finances, raise the taxes if we have to. Do not rob the people, this is not their mission."

The woman next to Jose, Minerva, rose and spoke, "If I may, my lord, shall we send the other Royals to search? They have learned what they can and we are searching for a far more advanced teacher…"

His gaze snapped to her and she visibly shuddered under his intense stare. "Find the man named Makarov and his grandson. They shall be their new teachers."

They were suggesting options that he had already considered, but he couldn't risk losing any of the Royals he had gathered searching for the possible others. Especially the youngest.

"My lord," Serena interjected. "Might I suggest a hunter? I know of a particular one."

Acnologia inclined his head, allowing for his advisor to continue.

"I propose that we summon Wahl Icht and his Hounds."

A man by the name of Metalicana, one of Igneel's men, surged to his feet, objecting. "You want to send the Hounds after them? That's asking for a massacre! If we are to have any-"

"Silence, fool!" Acnologia shouted over the man's blubbering. This meeting was taking much longer than he intended. "Send for the Hounds, God. Minerva, refinance anything you can find, make cuts wherever, just make sure that the Dreyars are able to be paid, and paid well. Jose, you will aid her."

Minerva and Jose both nodded and knelt as one. Metalicana remained standing, seething.

"My lord, this is a fool's folly and I refuse to stand by it any longer."

Said king raised his brow. "Are you telling me that you wish to step down from your post as part of this council, _Sir Metalicana_?"

Metalicana paled, but remained firm, retorting, "How much longer must you search for a Royal that is capable? The ones we have found are barely qualified. You need someone directly from a royal line."

"I am more than fully aware, Sir, but this is not your decision to make."

"My lord, this is ruining our nation! You must give up this fox hunt!"

Acnologia rose from his throne, glowering and walking down to the outspoken council member, but that did not stop the man from speaking.

"The people fear that you turning into a tyrant instead of a lawful king-"

The king of Pergrande stood nose to nose with the councilman. "I do not care about being a lawful king," he snarled. "I never wanted to be king."

Metalicana sputtered and tried to retract his words, but Acnologia continued to speak over him.

"Meeting adjourned. God Serena, with me."

He stepped around the sniveling man and swept out of the room, Serena on his heels.

* * *

Acnologia settled onto the bench, shucking off the cloak and letting it drop to the floor behind him. His muscles screamed at him for release, flying for hours on ends for a week had left them sore. The king tied his hair up into a high ponytail, anything to relieve his neck of the thick layer of hair.

He was back in his personal quarters, in the bath area. Ankhseram was whispering in his ear, giving him strength. His body was breaking down, and even now, her voice was fainter than this morning.

"Is she speaking with you, my lord?" Warm oiled fingers slid their way over his shoulders and he couldn't stop the sigh that escaped him.

"Serena, how many times must I tell you to not call me 'my lord' while we are in my private quarters?"

"Ah," the fingers dug into his tense and gnarled neck muscles. "I apologize, Acnologia, it has become a force of habit as of late."

"It's…fine." Serena worked a particularly large knot as Acnologia lolled his head to the side.

As Serena worked on his tired body, Acnologia lost himself to his thoughts. The girl that he saw the night before…there was no mistaking her. She was Anna's child, or grandchild at this point; his magic seal had elongated his life, despite the pain, to match Ankhseram's. For many, it appeared that he hadn't aged for the past two decades.

But the girl. The golden blonde hair, the large brown eyes - even the fearful expression the girl stared at him with had given him pause. It would have gone much smoother if it were not for the Dragneels meddling where they did not belong. Atlas Flame and himself almost crushed the girl when he crash landed on the inn. At that point, he had roared with frustration and anger before Ankhseram pointed out that they were fleeing in the woods. Atlas was dazed and struggling to breathe, a lung collapsed perhaps, and it had given Acnolgia plenty of time to find and confront his find.

"Sh-shit…" he cursed. Serena found another knot to knead out.

Moments later, he was being urged to lay on his stomach while his advisor and close friend worked his way down his back.

"Acno, you must lay off on the flying…your body cannot handle it much longer."

Acnologia huffed at the warning. "I will when a Royal is found that can help strengthen the magic seal."

Serena's hands paused. On Acnologia's back was a glowing circle, the same color as Ankhseram's swirls. It pulsed with each heartbeat and radiated out from his back and down his arms and legs, and up his neck to touch the edges of his face. The ink-markings on his limbs were the same swirls as Ankhseram's, but the circle was etched into his skin via different language, one much older than any of the countries on Ishgar presently. It told of how Ankhersam was sealed within his body, how her magic was imbued with his, how they were now one mind and body. It had worked for nearly twenty years, and no one was the wiser until the circle started to crack. That unfortunate day ended the lives of the knights he was surrounded with because his body had exploded in Ankhseram's form faster than he could control. They were crushed underfoot, buildings were damaged by wings and tail alike. A burst of magic blew the destruction he created into a much larger area, toppling homes and displacing a multitude of families.

He clenched his fists and stiffened under Serena's ministrations involuntarily, thinking of the apology he had to give to the capital after everything had calmed down and he regained his original body. Feeling it was his duty, Acnologia chose to be open about what he had done to himself and his dragon. Many were disgusted that their king had partaken in black magic, few sympathized with his situation. It hadn't been common knowledge that Ankhseram had fallen terminally ill.

Serena's hands paused, sensing his aggravation. "Acno…"

"M' apologies…" he grunted and forced himself to relax.

Ankhseram's illness was only curable by infusing her body with her rider's. Or so the witch had told him. He was desperate enough to take her word for it and went through the ritual to bind Ankhseram to himself.

"My-Acnologia, I cannot help you if you keep letting your emotions get the best of you. What is troubling you?" Serena still had his hands upon his back, but there was no pressure and they trailed the circle lazily.

Acnologia sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position so he can look into Serena's yellow eyes. The king's gaze was tired, and Serena was the only person to ever see the leader of such a grand nation look so beaten.

"Ankhseram is not improving," Acnologia began, his voice thick with grief. "Her voice grows quieter by the day, sometimes the hour. I fear that she will leave me before I have the chance to repair the seal."

Serena matched his gaze, equally depressed. The advisor knew that for the longest time in Acnologia's life that the dragon had been his only friend. Even after becoming king and reorganizing the country for the better, Acnologia had remained alone. Igneel Dragneel had seen to that. Both Igneel and Acnologia were in line to assume the throne, and Igneel being the eldest of the two was destined to take it. Both men were charismatic and passionate about Pergrande and its future. Yet Igneel walked away for unknown reasons and left Acnologia with a country to restructure alone. It took all of Acnologia's power to eradicate the corruption within the court and council. Everyone had their own agendas, the country's wellbeing falling behind.

He reached out and cupped Acnologia's face and leaned forward so that their foreheads were touching. "We will find the Royal we need. Ankhseram will remain with us through you," he said sincerely.

Acnologia visibly relaxed under his touch and his words. Serena straightened, pleased with the reaction he received, and reached for a clean set of clothes for his king to change into. "I'll meet you in the lounge, we can discuss more about what you saw there."

Acnologia watched him turn on his heel and walk out.

* * *

Serena sat Acnologia facing away from the fire. Night had fallen shortly after the council meeting had ended and the air was cool enough to cause anyone to shiver. The fire's warmth continued to unlock Acnologia's tired muscles. Serena stood across from him, mixing cream and sugar into his coffee. As he sat back and relaxed, the girl from the night before leaped to the forefront of his mind. She kept morphing from Anna back to herself. The resemblance was uncanny and there was no doubt in his mind that Anna had given birth to a child after she abandoned her throne as well.

Acnologia soured, all his life he had been abandoned. Igneel, his brother had left the throne for him. Anna, his love, and his queen took her light from the castle as soon as she found the magic seal on his back. Ankhseram, her illness threatened to take her away but Acnologia was done losing. Hence why he had the seal, hence why Anna had left him.

Anna had been a stout believer of _Zeruan_ and _Aiuen_ , always telling him to look into white magic to save Ankhseram. Unfortunately, every white mage he had sought out told him the same thing: she couldn't be saved. Every single one, all the same message.

He dragged a hand down his face, exasperated. He was tired of the searching and tired of ruling a country that no longer wanted him on the throne, but with no heir, he could no step down. The Dragneel house was no longer an option despite their close ties with the royal family.

"Tell me what is on your mind, my king," Serena asked, offering his coffee to him.

Acnologia took the steaming cup and looked into it. So many things were on his mind but which one should he even begin with?

His silence lasted until Serena took a seat across from him. "Acno, tell me of what you found. Let your tongue be loose around me."

He flicked eyes up to his advisor, his friend and took a deep breath. "The girl, she is of the Heartfilia line."

God Serena's eyes widened. "Are you sure? Anna has been…"

"I know that she has been dead for years, Serena, but yes, the girl is a Heartfilia." He sipped at his drink.

Serena sat back and gaped at his king. "But we have no records of Anna ever having children."

Acnologia smirked. "She was with child before she left the kingdom."

She told him before she saw the seal on his back. The betrayal in her eyes made him regret going through with it, but he had no choice. How could he be the king of the Dragon Kingdom Pergrande when he had no dragon? That was the last night he saw her, and the week after that, the seal cracked. Now years later, with magic still leaking from the circle, he was close to finding someone to reseal it and add the time-lock he needed. The previous witch didn't write that into the seal and now it was degrading and falling apart.

"Serena, I need a favor."

"Anything."

The king of Pergrande locked eyes with his advisor. "I need you to send the Hounds to track the Heartfilia's first. Then send them to the Dragneel manor. I want every single piece of information they can find on the Heartfilias."

"Understood."

* * *

Atlas could have been in better condition for flying, but they had no other choice in the matter.

The Fiore government swarmed Clover Town and they were forced to leave before being arrested for being unregistered citizens in their country and for causing so much destruction.

 _Igneel, I must land…my wing…_

"Land in the next town, it is where we need to be." Igneel leaned forward to pat his dragon's neck. It was a rough flight. Atlas' right wing was badly sprained and need of a well-deserved rest.

 _Are we…?_

"Yes."

Atlas shuddered with pain. It was a stretch to even make it to the next town. His breathing was labored and each wing beat was a struggle. They have to land before they make it to Era.

A flash of blue-silver passed in front of him, gold following close behind.

 _Igneel, I-_

"Don't worry, we don't have to anymore, Atlas."

* * *

It was in the second week of them staying, that Lucy finally had enough of Natsu giving her the silent treatment. She didn't even know what made him like this and why he was taking it out on her.

"Natsu?" She only got a noncommittal noise from him.

Huffing, she stood up and walked around the fire.

"Natsu, what is going on?" she demanded, worry eating its way through her voice despite wanting to sound angry, standing before him.

His eyes glittered in the firelight, but they held none of the spark and mischief. Natsu simply stared up at her, his mouth forming a tight line. At this point she would give away some of her _aiuen_ to see his cocky grin again, the same one she wanted to smack off his face most of the time.

"Why won't you talk to me? Did I do something wrong? Was it because of that ni-"

He cut her off, holding a hand up.

"It has nothing to do with you-"

"That's a load of crap and you know it."

"-and I just need time."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him and Natsu watched as the molten gold in her eyes hardened with hurt. He was treating her unfairly, but it seemed like everything that had happened was too much of a coincidence to be luck. Her bugging him to tell her everything, him telling her about Igneel, and then Acnologia, and having both of them collide in Clover was something out of a nightmare. He didn't even want to broach the subject of the Blue Pegasus Inn be demolished that night and no one but them being survivors.

"Why more time?"

"Lucy, I-"

"No, Natsu. We have been here for weeks, and you have barely spoken two words to me since, and that's outside of you talking to Valdas. This is ridiculous!" Aiu sat next to her feet, looking up at the two of them, concern in his yellow eyes.

Natsu clenched his jaw, biting back his retort. Lucy was vibrating with unbridled rage before him, her words cut into him mercilessly.

"You can sulk all you want but you brought this upon yourself. We could have been out of there before Acnologia had even arrived if you had gotten over yourself. That damn ego of yours is what got us into this situation in the first place-and I don't know what it is, but for whatever reason, you are stuck with me for the foreseeable future. I can't do anything but wander on my own two feet because some giant black dragon squashed my horse! And I don't even have money for buy new clothes, Natsu! My shirt is in ruins from that damn building collapsing on top of me."

She went on and on about how the whole situation was his fault and he stood there and took it. She was right. There was no way of getting around that. Natsu had procrastinated and let his ego get in the way of what he had to do.

"I don't know what you want me to do? I'm scared, Natsu, scared. I'm worried that every night, you will be gone the next time I return from the town because I have somehow hurt you. I don't even know what I did? How? How could I have even done anything? Aiu is barely three weeks old, a hatchling! Are you ever going to talk to me again? What can I do to make this better? Why are you being silent?"

Natsu closed his eyes, trying in vain to block out her questions. It was his vow to protect her from his problematic king, and here he sat, sulking like a child dropped off at day-care because he couldn't stay with his father. He had a duty to fulfill, one that he had placed on his shoulders already. He, of all people, should be able to handle this. It was just as his teacher had told him, he rushed into things too fast. Lucy was a prime example of this.

He couldn't sit here any longer.

"What do you want?"

Lucy blinked, her frown deepening. "What do I want?" she asked slowly.

Natsu met her glare and waved a hand for her to go on. His words were curt, but there was nothing she could do to change that. She just ranted at him without holding back anything.

She chewed on her lip. Natsu felt certain about what she wanted, and his response was ready.

What did she even want at this point? There were so many things…for Natsu to speak with her, like the friends they were. More than anything, she wanted her friend back, but it wasn't as if he was left back at Blue Pegasus, crushed under the inn. He was still here, she still had a chance. But what else? Did she want to go home? To finally understand why she was in this situation in the first place? She looked down at Aiu, meeting his warm gaze. He was her family now, her dad disowning her and leaving her to her own devices. She had only made it one town over before everything began to blur together. Aiu was all that she had left, and she didn't even understand why she was gifted with him at the ceremony a month ago. Now was her chance.

"I want to find out about my family."

"We can head to-wait what? Your family?" That was not what he was expecting. No matter what he thought about her, Lucy always proved to turn a different direction.

"Yes, my family."

 _We still have to head back to the manor, Igneel will have the answers she needs,_ Valdas commented.

Natsu turned and looked at his dragon. He had forgotten she was even there for a moment, the black dragon had been quiet all day, finally sick of his moping. She had told him time and time again that they needed to do something instead of sitting here. They had no money and the area was becoming sparse from the concentrated hunting the dragons were doing. He was getting tired of being told he messed up. He knew that already, but did they have to keep beating it into him?

Lucy was waiting for his response, arms crossed to retain her body heat. Her clothes were dirty and her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Even is such ragged attire, she was beautiful…

 _Natsu._

Dammit, Valdas.

"R-right, your family. We will have to head to the Dragneel Manor."

* * *

 **Welp, there you have it, the next installment. Again sorry for the really long wait, school is kicking my ass and I'm trying really hard to find time to write. Hopefully, the long chapter was worth the wait.**

 **To the Reviewers: TheFangirlingFanboy, Nechochwen, TigerArrowgirl, Guest 1, AshnMarley, Juliastes, AnonymousStalkerFriend, PitbullColin, 3.14159265SlicesOfPi (nice name btw xD), xTernel (hi anna xD), and lucyheartfilialover360**

 **Thank you so much for reviewing and the same goes for all of you who fav'd and followed!**

 **See you next time,  
Mogi**


End file.
